Tag: Mineral groups

Over 90% of Earth's crust is composed of silicate minerals, making them by far the most abundant mineral group. These and other minerals are systematically categorized by mineralogists primarily based on their chemical composition. Understanding this classification is fundamental to studying geology and how Earth is formed.

With thousands of officially recognized minerals by the International Mineralogical Association (IMA) as of May 2025, the sheer number may seem overwhelming. However, rather than existing in a single form, minerals are organized into distinct classifications based on their chemical composition, internal crystal structure, and physical properties. This organizational framework reveals that there are numerous ways to define a mineral's 'form,' extending far beyond simple physical appearance.

The Earth's crust is composed of over 90% silicate minerals. For this reason, the silicate group is overwhelmingly considered to be the most important group of minerals, serving as the fundamental building blocks of rocks and soil and holding immense value across numerous industries.

Over 90% of the Earth's crust is composed of minerals containing silicon and oxygen, which is why minerals are primarily sorted into two major groups based on their chemical composition: silicates and non-silicates. This fundamental classification system allows geologists to understand the diverse properties and structures of thousands of different mineral species found in the Earth's crust.

The vast majority of Earth's crust, over 90%, is composed of just one mineral group: the silicates. Mineralogy, the scientific study of minerals, classifies these naturally occurring inorganic solids primarily based on their chemical composition, which organizes the thousands of known mineral types into distinct classes. Understanding what are the four major groups of minerals provides a fundamental framework for comprehending geology.

With over 4,000 minerals identified by geologists, a systematic organizational method is essential for study. This is precisely why minerals are classified, primarily based on their unique chemical composition and internal crystalline structure, which profoundly influence their physical properties.