Common Minerals

Common Minerals in Earth’s Crust

Approximately 107 elements have been detected in laboratories, but only eight are found in abundance in the composition of the Earth’s outer surface. These elements make up 98% of the Earth’s visible crust. Listed in order of frequency, they are:

1. Oxygen – 47%
2. Calcium – 3.5%
3. Talc – 28%
4. Sodium – 2.5%
5. Aluminum – 8%
6. Pvtasym – 2.5%
7. Iron – 5%
8. Magnesium – 2.0%

Total: 98.5%

These elements combine to form most of the rock-forming minerals found in the Earth’s crust. The most common minerals that make up the majority of rocks include feldspar, quartz, mica, amphibole, pyroxene, and olivine.

The remaining 96 elements are relatively rare and make up only 1.5% of the Earth’s crust. Examples of such elements include:

• Copper: 0.0045%
• Lead: 0.00015%
• Gold: 0.0000007%

While approximately 2,000 mineral specimens are listed, only about 100 are considered economically significant in mining activities. These include native minerals, hydrocarbon ores, and construction materials.

Mineral Types

1. Essential Minerals:
   • These minerals make up the majority of rocks and are generally silicates, with exceptions like quartz and carbonates.
2. Accessory Minerals:
   • Present only in small amounts within rocks.
3. Secondary Minerals:
   • Derived from other minerals.

Classification of Economic Minerals

Metallic Minerals:

• Precious metals: gold, silver, platinum
• Base metals: copper, lead, tin
• Metals for steel industries: iron, nickel, chromium, manganese, cobalt, molybdenum, tungsten, vanadium, thallium, etc.
• Light metals: aluminum, magnesium, titanium
• Metals for electrical industries: codium, bismuth, germanium, mercury, selenium
• Radioactive metals: uranium, radium, cesium, zirconium, thorium, beryllium, rare earth elements

Non-Metallic Minerals:

• Insulating materials: mica, asbestos, solimanite
• Refractory materials: silica, alumina, zircon, graphite
• Abrasive materials: corundum, emery
• Gems: garnet, diamond, topaz, emerald, sapphire
• General industrial minerals: phosphate rock, limestone, rock-salt, baryte, borates, feldspar, magnesite, gypsum, potash, clays, sulfur

Fuel Minerals:

• Solid fuel: anthracite, coal, lignite, oil shale
• Liquid fuel: oil, natural gas