Lecture 20 (12/06/2006)

Systematic Description of Minerals

Part 4:
Silicates II: Cyclosilicates,
Inosilicates, Phyllosilicates and
Tectosilicates
Silicate Mineral Classification
(based on arrangement of SiO
4
tetrahedra)
Cyclosilicates (Ring)
x(SiO
3
) Unit Composition
Hexagonal and Orthorhombic (pseudohexagonal)
symmetries most common
Forms silicate minerals with:
Moderate density(2.6-3.2) and hardness (7-8)
Prismatic habits
Poor cleavage
Beryl
Common Cyclosilicates
Beryl Be
3
Al
2
(Si
6
O
18
)

Common accessory mineral in granite pegmatite
Gem varieties Aquamarine, Emerald, Rose
Beryl, Golden Beryl
Cordierite (Mg,Fe)
2
Al
4
Si
5
O
18
nH20

Common mineral in contact metamorphosed
argillaceous rocks
Resembles quartz in appearance and hardness
(7-7.5)
Tourmaline
(Na,Ca)(Li,Mg,Al)
3
(Al,Fe,Mn)
6
(BO
3
)
3

(Si
6
O
18
)(OH)
4
Common accessory mineral in granite pegmatite
Characteristic striated prisms with trigonal outline
watermelon
tourmaline
Inosilicates (Chain)
x(SiO
3
) Unit Composition
Single and double silicon tetrahedra chains
Typically monoclinic and orthorhombic symmetry
Single chains (Pyroxenes) develop ~90 cleavage
Double chains (Amphiboles) develop 120 cleavage

Amphibole
Structure
Pyroxene
Structure
Pyroxenes (XYZ
2
O
6
)
X (M
2
) Na, Ca, Mn, Fe
+2
, Mg, Li
Y (M
1
) Mn, Fe
+2
, Mg, Fe
+3
, Cr
+3
, Ti
+4
Z (Tetrahedral site) - Al
+3
, Si
+4

Clinopyroxenes
Orthopyroxenes
Exsolution in Pyroxene
Exsolved comp

Original comp
Amphiboles (A
0-1
X
2
Y
5
Z
8
O
22
(OH,F))
A Na, K
X (M
4
) Na, Ca, Mn, Fe
+2
, Mg, Li
Y (M
1-3
) Mn, Fe
+2
, Mg, Fe
+3
, Cr
+3
, Ti
+4
Z (Tetrahedral site) - Al
+3
, Si
+4

Common Types of Amphiboles
Phyllosilicates (Sheet)
x(Si
2
O
5
) Unit Composition
Infinite sheets of silicon tetrahedra
Strong single cleavage parallel to silicon
sheets


Pyrophyllite Muscovite
Phyllosilicate
Structures

Alternating Si
Tetrahedral and
Octahedral layers
bound by large cations
or weak electrostatic
bonds
Common Phyllosilicates
Antigorite
Chrysotile
Kaolinite
Talc
Pyrophyllite
Muscovite
Lepidolite
Biotite
Chlorite
Tectosilicates (Framework)
x(SiO
2
) Unit Composition
3-D framework of linked
silicon tetrahedra
Variable physical
properties and
symmetries depending
on linkage of framework
groupings


SiO
2
Group
Opal SiO
2
nH
2
O
Quartz SiO
2

Feldspar Group
Alkali Feldspars
Perthite (albite exsolution in microcline)
Plagioclase Feldspars
Albite Twinning
Compositional
Zoning
(Oscillatory)
Feldspathoids (Si-poor feldspars)
Common in alkaline (Si-undersaturated) igneous rocks

Leucite KAlSiO
4



Nepheline (Na,K)AlSiO
4



Sodalite Na
8
(AlSiO
4
)
6
Cl
2
Hydrous Tectosilicates
Analcime (Scapolite Gp)
NaAlSi
2
O
6
H
2
O

Natrolite (Zeolite Gp)
Na
2
Al
2
Si
3
O
10
2H
2
O

Heulandite (Zeolite Gp)
CaAl
2
Si
7
O
18
6H
2
O

Stilbite (Zeolite Gp)
NaCa
2
Al
5
Si
13
O
36
14H
2
O
Next Lecture 12/11/06

Introduction to X-ray Diffractometry

Read: Klein p. 309-321

12/13 Final Review: Mineralogy Trivia