Types of Minerals

The Various types of minerals depend upon the nature of the chemical compounds that contains the given metal. These are:

1. OXIDES:  Oxides are those minerals in which a metal occurs in combination with oxygen. Examples of such minerals are,

            (a).       Iron as Hematite (Fe₂O₃), Magnetite (Fe₂O₃. FeO), Chromate (Fe₃O₄Cr₂).

            (b).      Aluminium as Bauxite                        (Al₂O₃ . 2H₂O)

            (c).       Manganese as Pyolusite                      (MnO₂)

            (d).      Tin as Tin stone or Cassiterite             (SnO₂)

            (e).       Titanium as Rutile                               (TiO₂)

            (f).       Copper as Cuprite                               (Cu₂O)

2. SULPHIDES:  Sulphide are those minerals in which a metal occurs in combination with sulphur.

            For Examples:–        

            (a).       Iron as Iron Pyrites                 (FeS₂)

            (b).      Copper as Copper Pyrites       (CuFeS₂)

            (c).       Copper as Copper Glance       (Cu₂S)

            (d).      Mercury as Cinnabar               (HgS)

            (e).       Zinc as Zinc Sulphide             (ZnS)

            (f).       Lead as Lead Sulphides          (PbS)

3. CARBONATES:  These are those minerals in which a metal occurs as a carbonates.

            For Example:

            (a).       Calcium as Calcite                  (CaCO₃)

            (b).       Magnesium as Dolomite         (CaCO₃ . MgCO₃)

            (c).       Zinc as Calamine                     (ZnCO₃)

            (d).      Iron as Siderite                        (FeCO₃)          

4. SULPHATES:  The minerals in which a metal occurs as sulphates are sulphate minerals.

            For Example

            (a).       Barium as Barytes                   (BaSO₄)

            (b).      Lead as Anglesite                   (PbSO₄)

            (c).       Calcium as Gypsum                (CaSO₄ . 2H₂O)

            (d).      Magnesium as Epsom Salt      (MgSO₄ . 7H₂O)

            (e).       Sodium as Glaber’s salt          (Na₂SO₄ . 10H₂O)

5. HALIDES:  These are minerals in which a metal occurs in combination with a halogen. Examples of halide minerals are:

            (a).       Sodium as common salt          (NaCl)

            (b).      Aluminium as Cryolite            (Na₃AlF₆)

            (c).       Calcium as Fluorite                 (CaF₂)

            (d).      Silver as Horn Silver               (AgCl)

            (e).       Magnesium as Carnallite         (KCl. MgCl₂ . 6H₂O)

6. PHOSPHATES:  The minerals in which a metal occurs as a phosphate are called phosphate minerals. Example;

                        Calcium as hydroxyapatite [Ca₃(PO₄)₅(OH)₂]

7. SILICATES:  The minerals in which the metal occurs as a silicate are called Silicate Minerals.

            For example.

            (a).       Silicon as Quartz (SiO₂)

            (b).      Calcium and Magnesium as Asbestos (CaSiO₃.MgSiO₃)

            (c).       Aluminium as China Clay (Al₂O₃.SiO₂.2H₂O)