Silicate Minerals | Most Important Class of 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 of the rocks on Earth because they contain the most common minerals.
The silicates are a complex group of minerals whose basic structure includes silica. Quartz also known as silicon dioxide is the most common mineral in Earth's crust. It's made up of the chemical elements silicon and oxygen.
