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Silicate MineralsThe silicate minerals make up the the largest and most important class of rock-forming minerals. They are classified based on the structure of their silicate anion group. 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: - Pyroxene group
- Enstatite - orthoferrosilite series
- Pigeonite
- Diopside - hedenbergite series
- Sodium pyroxene series
- Spodumene
- Pyroxenoid group
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. References and external links - Hurlbut, Cornelius S., 1966 pr, Dana's Manual of Mineralogy, 17th ed., ISBN 0471032883
- Hurlbut, Cornelius S.; Klein, Cornelis, 1985, Manual of Mineralogy, 20th ed., ISBN 0471805807
- Mineral gallery
- Minerals.net
- mindat.org mineral database
- Webmineral.com
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