3.6| Mineral Groups Reading and Exercise

Overview

"We classify minerals according to the anion part of the mineral formula, and mineral formulas are always written with the anion part on the right. For example, for pyrite (FeS₂), Fe2+ is the cation, and S– is the anion. This helps us to know that it’s a sulfide, but it is not always that obvious. Hematite (Fe₂O₃) is an oxide; that’s easy, but anhydrite (CaSO₄) is a sulfate because SO₄– is the anion, not O. Along the same lines, calcite (CaCO₃) is a carbonate, and olivine (Mg₂SiO₄) is a silicate. Minerals with only one element (such as S) are native minerals, while those with an anion from the halogen column of the periodic table (Cl, F, Br, etc.) are halides." The passage was taken from Physical Geology by Earle, S. 

The most common mineral group is the silicates, which can be identified by mineral formulas that contain SiO written together. For example, olivine (Mg₂SiO₄), quartz, (SiO₂), and biotite [K(Mg, Fe)₃AlSi₃O₁₀(F, OH)₂] are all silicates. 

Instructions

Visit Mineral Groups from Physical Geology. This will provide you with the background information needed to complete this matching exercise. You have three attempts and no time limit.  

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Time Needed

About 1/2 hour. 

Learning Objective

Use chemical formulas to classify minerals into appropriate mineral groups