GEOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Silicates contain silicon atoms and oxygen atoms. One silicon atom is bonded to four oxygen atoms. These atoms form a pyramid (Figure). The silicate pyramid is the building block of silicate minerals.

Detailed explanation-2: -Silicate minerals contain silicon (Si) and oxygen (O), the two most abundant elements in the earth’s crust. Over 90% of the common rock-forming minerals are silicates. Common silicate minerals include: olivine, pyroxene, amphibole, biotite mica, muscovite mica, plagioclase feldspar, orthoclase feldspar, and quartz.

Detailed explanation-3: -Despite the fact that silicate minerals may accommodate any chemical element in their structures, the most common elements found are Al, Mg, Fe, Ca, Na, and K. Al is a common substitute for Si in the silica tetrahedron.

Detailed explanation-4: -Silicates are salts containing anions of silicon (Si) and oxygen. There are many types of silicates, because the silicon-to-oxygen ratio can vary widely. In all silicates, however, silicon atoms are found at the centres of tetrahedrons with oxygen atoms at the corners. The silicon…

Detailed explanation-5: -All silicate minerals share a common building block: the silica tetrahedron. This four-sided molecule consists of four oxygen (O) atoms and one silicon (Si) atom. The oxygen atoms are anions with a minus-2 charge (O2-) that are covalently bonded to a single silicon cation with a plus-4 charge (Si4+).