Mineral Types & The Rock Cycle

💎 Major Mineral Types

Minerals are naturally occurring, inorganic, solid elements or compounds with a definite crystalline structure and chemical composition. They are generally grouped into classes based on their chemical makeup:

• Silicates: The largest mineral group (e.g., Quartz, Feldspar, Mica), containing silicon and oxygen.
• Carbonates: Minerals containing the carbonate ion combined with calcium, magnesium, or iron (e.g., Calcite, Dolomite).
• Oxides: Metal cations bonded to oxygen anions (e.g., Hematite, Magnetite).
• Sulfides & Sulfates: Minerals containing sulfur (e.g., Pyrite, Gypsum).
• Native Elements: Minerals that occur in pure form in nature (e.g., Gold, Silver, Diamond, Sulfur).

🔄 The Rock Cycle

The rock cycle is a continuous geological model that describes how rocks are created, altered, destroyed, and reformed over millions of years through three main types:

1. Igneous Rocks: Formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava (e.g., Basalt, Granite).
2. Sedimentary Rocks: Formed from the accumulation, compaction, and cementation of mineral or organic particles (e.g., Sandstone, Limestone).
3. Metamorphic Rocks: Formed when existing rocks are subjected to intense heat and pressure, changing their mineral structure without melting them (e.g., Marble, Slate).