GEOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Other minerals used in the construction industry are clay, chalk and limestone for cement making, brick clay, gypsum, and slate.

Detailed explanation-2: -The most common minerals are the silicates, as one would guess by looking at the abundances of the elements in the Earth’s crust, but there is a great variety of minerals. Minerals are classified in many ways, including hardness, optical properties, crystal structure, etc.

Detailed explanation-3: -The most common carbonate mineral in soils is calcium carbonate in the form of calcite.

Detailed explanation-4: -Gypsum (CaSO4 · 2H2O), the most common of the sulphate minerals, is also known as alabaster (a fine-grained massive form), satin spar (a fibrous variety of gypsum), or selenite (colourless transparent gypsum crystals).