Introduction to Silicate

Mineralogy

B.S. Mapani
Geology Department
University of Namibia
Mineralogy is the study of
Minerals
 Minerals can be grouped in classes such as:
 Silicates-these are rock forming minerals
 Native elements such as gold, copper, silver
 Carbonates, such calcite and dolomite
 Phosphates
 Sulphates
 Halides
 Suphides
 Oxides
 Many other secondary minerals
Silicates
 These are known as “Rock Forming Minerals”,
because they are the major building blocks of rocks
 Silicates can be divided into Seven major groups viz:
 Nesosilicates(single tetrahedron)

 Sorosilicates or di-silicates (two tetrahedra)

 Ring or cyclosilicates (form a ring of tetrahedra)

 Single chains (a chain of tetrahedra)

 Double Chains

 Micas or Sheet silicates

 Tectosilicates or Framework silicates

Architecture of element to
rock
 Elements make up
crystals
 Crystals make up
grains of minerals
 Grains make up
minerals
 Minerals make up
rocks
Nesosilicates-a ratio of 1Si: 4O

 These minerals are characterised by a single

SiO4 tetrahedron
 Examples are garnet: Fe3Al2Si3O12
 Olivine: Fe2SiO4
Di-silicates-with two tetrahedra
also called “Sorosilicates”
 These have two linked tetrahedra
forming the radicle: [Si2O7]-6.
 Examples are Hemimorphite,
vesuvianite, idocrase and Epidote
 They may contain water as well, such
as epidote group and hemimorphite
Ring or cyclosilicates
 Ring silicates result from tetrahedra sharing two
oxygens linked together to form a ring, whose
general composition is SixO3x.
 Thus the ratio of silicon to oxygen is 1:3
 Examples are cordierite, tourmaline and emerald
Single Chain Silicates-
Pyroxenes
 These form chains, that end up forming a prismatic
habit. This habit distinguishes these minerals from
other groups.
 Examples are Augite and Enstatite
 They have a general formula of Si2O6 or SiO3
Double Chains-Amphiboles
 Double chains have the [Si4O11]-6 configuration
 All Amphiboles contain water in the structure
 They also possess a prismatic structure like pyroxenes
 Examples are hornblende, cummingtonite and tremolite
Micas or Phyllosicates or Sheet
silicates
 When three oxygens are shared
between tetrahedra, sheet
silicates result.
 These exhibit stacking to form
the radicle[Si4O10]-12
 These have an octahedral layer
and a tetrahedral layer.
 The octahedral layer is either a
Brucite(Mg-rich) or a
Gibbsite(Al-rich)
 Thus we can designate the mica
structure as T-O-T which
Tetrahedral-Octahedral-
Tetrahedral layes
 Tetrahedral layers are joined by
Octahedral layers
Framework silicates
 These have a ratio of Si:O of 1:2 or 3:8
 Each tetrahedron shares all its oxygens with
other SiO4 tetrahedra in quartz for example
 In many silicates there occurs a substitution
of Si by Al3+. This causes a coupled, such
that a Na or K has to enter the structure to
balance the charges.
 Therefore most silicates will the ratio of 3:8
of the Si:O, as a result of the Al. If there was
no Al, the ratio would be 1:2