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Which common silicate minerals contain silicon?
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silicon
Chemical properties of the element silicon.
Silicate minerals are defined by their structure, which is based on the silicon tetrahedron—a unit where one silicon atom is bonded to four oxygen atoms. These minerals make up approximately 95 percent of Earth’s crust and upper mantle and are the primary constituents of most igneous rocks.1
While there are about 600 known silicate minerals, only a few dozen are significant in rock formation. Common examples include:1
- Feldspars: A major group of rock-forming minerals.1
- Amphiboles: Complex minerals often found in igneous and metamorphic rocks.21
- Pyroxenes: Important minerals such as enstatite, which are common in many rocks.231
- Micas: Including minerals like muscovite and biotite.24
- Olivines: Such as forsterite, often found in subsilicic rocks.231
- Zeolites: A group of minerals known for their structural complexity.21
- Clay minerals: Such as kaolinite, which are common products of rock weathering.24