Non-Silicates

There are a few important groups of non-silicate minerals. Only the carbonates are significant as rock-forming minerals. The remaining mineral groups are often ore minerals and provide economic sources for various elements. The important non-silicate groups are:

• Carbonates

  The important carbonates are the minerals calcite and dolomite. Both are significant rock-forming minerals.

• Evaporites

  The important groups of evaporite minerals are the halides including the minerals halite, sylvite and fluorite; and the sulphates including the minerals gypsum and anhydrite.

• Oxides

  Many oxides (hematite and magnetite) and hydroxides (limonite and goerthite) of iron are important minor consituents in rocks. The aluminum oxide bauxite can also occur as a rock-forming mineral. Oxide minerals are exploited as economic sources of many elements including aluminum, antimony, iron, manganese, tin, and uranium.

• Sulphides

  The mineral pyrite is the only sulphide that occurs commonly in rocks. Sulphides are most important as economic minerals providing the main sources of elements such as arsenic, copper, lead, nickel, mercury, molybdenum and zinc.

• Phosphates

  Phosphates are relatively rare. The only important phosphate mineral is apatite.

To find information on a particular mineral name click here.