Mineralogy 320

Mineral
Classification
Mineral Groups

Mineral Classification
There are many groups of minerals
Mineralogists classified minerals by
their chemical composition (mainly
anionic psrt) into eight main groups:
Silicates, oxides, sulfates, sulfides,
carbonates, native elements, halides
and phosphate

Major Mineral Groups

Group

Anion

Example

Uses

Native Element

None

Native Copper, Gold

Oxides

O2-

Hematite (Fe2O3), Bauxite

(Al2O3)

Source of Iron
Source of Aluminum

Sulfides

S-

Galena (PbS)
Pyrite (FeS2) False Gold

Source of Lead
Source of Iron

Sulfates

So42-

Gypsum(CaSO4, 2H2O)

Sheet Rock, Cement

Carbonates

CO32-

Calcite (CaCO3)

Limestone

Phosphates

PO42-

Apatite Ca5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH)

Fertilizer

Halides

Cl-, F-

Halite (NaCl)

Rock Salt

Silicates

SiO44-

Quartz (SiO2),
Olivine (Mg2SiO4)

Major rock forming

minerals

1st: Native Element

Made of one chemical element.
Examples: Gold, Silver, Copper, Diamond
Many are metallic: e.g. Gold
Others are non-metallic:
e.g. Diamond

2nd: Oxides
Made of oxygen and one or more positivecharge elements.
Common oxide minerals include: magnetite,
hematite and limonite
Contains the greatest variations of physical
properties
Examples: Bauxite, Brucite, Cassiterite,
Chromite, Corundum (Ruby & Sapphire,
Goethite, Hematite, Ilmenite, Magnetite,
Perovskite, Pyrolucite, Rutile, Spinel,
Uraninite, Wolframite

Hematite

Limonite

3rd: Sufides
Made of sulfur as anionic part and one or
more positive-charge elements
Most Common Sulfides: Galena, Cinnabar,
realgar, sphalerite
Many are heavy
Different types of Sulfides are:
Simple Sulfides, Arsenides, Antimonides,
Tellurides, Selenides, and Sulfosalts.

Examples: Chalcopyrite, Cinnabar,

Cobaltitee, Pyrite, Sphalerite,

4th: Carbonates (+Nitrates &

Borates)
Carbonate is made of a carbonate anionic
group and one or more positive-charge
elements.
They are soft, brittle, and most, except for
Rhodochrosite and Siderite, effervesce when
exposed to Hydrochloric Acid.
Three types of Carbonates:
Calcite group, Aragonite group & Dolomite
group.

Examples: Ankerite, Aragonite, Azurite,

Calcite, Cerussite, Coracite, Coral, Dolomite

Nitrate & Borate

Nitrate and Borate is a small group and are
classified as a sub-category of the Carbonate group.
Nitrate is made of a Nitrate anionic group and one
or more metallic elements.
They are all fragile and soft.
All but one of these minerals are soluble in water.
Found only in arid regions, mainly in dry lake
deposits.
Borates is made of a borate anionic group and one
or more metallic elements.
Two types of Borates, the Hydrous Borates and
the Anhydrous Borates.

5th: Sulfates
Made of a Sulfate (SO4) anionic group and
one or more positive-charge elements.
The Sulfates are transparent to translucent
and soft.
Mostly lightly colored, and Some are soluble
in water.
Chromates may form by substitution of
sulfate by chromate.

Sulfates
Sulfates can be divided into two types:
Hydrous Sulfates
Anhydrous Sulfates

By substitution of sulfate (SO4), the following

sulfates sub-groups may form:
Chromates, Molybdates, Tungstates, and
Wolframates

Examples: Anglesite, Barite, Celestite,

Crocoite, Gypsum, Scheelite, Wulfenite

6th: Phosphates
(+ Arsenates & Vanadates)
Made of a phosphate anionic group and
one or more positive-charge elements.
Usually brittle and occur in small crystals
or compact aggregates.
Arsenates and Vanadates contain either
the Arsenate or Vanadate radicals.
Examples: Adamite, Apatite, Monazite,
Phosphophyllite,, Turquoise, Vivianite,,
Zenotime

7th: Halides
Made of one of the halogen elements as a
anionic part and one or more positivecharge elements.
Halogen elements: Bromine, Chlorine,
Fluorine, and Iodine.
Used as building blocks.
Most of the Halides are soft and fragile.
Some Halides are soluble in water.
Examples: Fluorite, Halite, Prosopite,
Sylvite

8Th: Silicates
Made of a silicate (SiO2) anionic group and
one or more positive-charge elements.
The largest group forming 92% of rock
Forming the Bowens Reaction Series:
Discontinuous Series: Olivine, Pyroxene,
Amphibole & Mica
Continuous Series: Plagioclase minerals
K-feldspar + Quartz

Subdivided into five silicate groups

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