What are Silicate Minerals?

Silicate Minerals Important Rock-Forming Minerals
The silicate group of minerals make up the largest and most important class of rock-forming minerals. Understanding their structure enables geologists to identify almost all rocks on Earth. This is possible because they contain the most common minerals.
The silicates are a complex group of minerals whose basic structure includes silica. Silica which is also known as silicon dioxide is the most common mineral in Earth's crust. It's a chemical compound of silicon and oxygen.
The chemical element silicon is sometimes mistaken for silicone. The latter is a man-made product.