Common Rock-Forming Minerals and Their Elements |
| Type | Mineral family - composition |
| Light-Colored Silicates | Quartz - silicon dioxide or silica |
|
|
Feldspar - silicon tetroxide plus varying amounts of aluminum, sodium, calcium, and potassium |
| Dark-Colored Silicates | Mica - silicon tetroxide plus varying amounts of aluminum, postassium, iron, magnesium, calcium, sodium, and water |
|
|
Pyroxene - silicon tetroxide plus varying amounts of aluminum, iron, magnesium, calcium, and sodium |
|
|
Amphibole - silicon tetroxide plus varying amounts of aluminum, iron, magnesium, calcium, sodium and water |
|
|
Olivine - silicon tetroxide plus varying amounts of iron and magnesium |
| Nonsilicates | Calcite - calcium carbonate |
Of the seven abundant minerals, feldspars, micas, pyroxenes, amphiboles, and olivines are really mineral families, with a variety of named members. We mention other important mineral families on other pages.
Minerals are crystalline substances, meaning that the atoms of their constituent elements are arranged in a definite geometric structure. This structure gives minerals specific physical properties, which geologists, and everyone else for that matter, can identify in the field. Click on mineral names to see images.
|
|
North Cascades Minerals And Rocks
|
|
| North Cascades geology home |
North Cascades National Park home |
| Geologic & Field Trip Maps | Geology field trip | Site contents | |
| USGS Geology in the Parks home | NPS Park Geology Tour home |
This site is a cooperative endeavor of the
http://www.nature.nps.gov/grd/usgsnps/noca/sb3mins.html
|
| Material in this site has been adapted from a new book, Geology of the North Cascades: A Mountain Mosaic by R. Tabor and R. Haugerud, of the USGS and published by The Mountaineers, Seattle |