Silicate Minerals Article Index for
Silicate
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Information About

Silicate Minerals




Subclasses:

NESOSILICATES

''Nesosilicates'' (or ''orthosilicates'') have SiO4 tetrahedra that are isolated and connected by interstitial cations.


SOROSILICATES

''Sorosilicates'' have isolated double tetrahedra groups with Si2O7 or a ratio of 2:7.


CYCLOSILICATES

''Cyclosilicates'', ring silicates, have linked tetrahedra with SixO3x or a ratio of 1:3.


INOSILICATES

''Inosilicates'', chain silicates, have interlocking chains of silicate tetrahedra with either SiO3, 1:3 ratio, for single chains or Si4O11, 4:11 ratio, for double chains.


Single chain inosilicates:



Double chain inosilicates:



PHYLLOSILICATES

''Phyllosilicates'', sheet silicates, form parallel sheets of silicate tetrahedra with Si2O5 or a 2:5 ratio.


TECTOSILICATES

''Tectosilicates'', framework silicates, have a three dimensional framework of silicate tetrahedra with SiO2 or a 1:2 ratio. This is the largest group comprising nearly 75% of the Crust of the Earth .


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