Mineral%20Families%20and%20Mineral%20Resources

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Mineral Families and Mineral Resources
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Classification of Minerals

• Minerals are classified or grouped into families
  according to their chemical composition

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Mineral Families

• Native Elements consist of a single element
• Halides consist of a metal plus a halogen (Cl,
  F, Br)
• Carbonates consist of a metal and carbonate
  group (CO3)
• Sulfides consist of metal and sulfur
• Sulfates consist of a metal and sulfate group
  (SO4)
• Oxides consist of metal and oxygen
• Silicates consist of silicon and oxygen (SiO4 or
  SiO2)

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examples

• Native Elements Graphite, and Sulfur
• Halides halite, fluorite
• Carbonates Calcite, Dolomite
• Sulfides Pyrite, Galena
• Sulfates Gypsum
• Oxides Magnetite, Hematite
• Silicates Quartz, olivine, garnet, mica,
  feldspar, amphibole etc...

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Silicates The largest mineral family

• Largest family of minerals
• most common
• basic unit-tetrahedron
• consists of SiO4

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Other facts

• Rare minerals of great beauty and value are
  classified as gems (ex diamonds, rubies)
• Minerals that have a commercial value and use and
  can be extracted from the earth are ores. These
  are usually metals. (ex lead, iron)
• We are studying minerals or mineralogy.