Geologists and mineralogists have described more than 3,000 minerals; most are exceedingly rare, so it is unnecessary and impractical to try to describe them all in this text. The most common minerals are listed here, as well as those of the greatest economic importance. Other species are listed if they have unique structures or chemistries, or demonstrat principles or properties not well represented by the common or economic minerals. Still others are included if they are useful indicators of geological environments and processes or if they can be used for practical purposes, such as age determinations.There are descriptions of about 200 minerals, which is more than sufficient for most purposes. Intended for students of mineralogy, emphasis has been placed on those properties that best aid in practical mineral identification: hand specimen characteristics and, to a lesser extent, occurrences, associations, and optical properties. The mineral descriptions contain only brief discussions of atomic structure and crystal chemistry.
The descriptions are arranged in order based on a classification scheme. A brief tabulation of mineral species introduces each of the classes, subclasses, or groups listed in bold type below.
I. Silicate Class
Framework silicate subclass
Silica group
Feldspar group
Feldspathoid group
Scapolite series
Zeolite group
Other framework silicates
Sheet silicate subclass
Serpentine group
Clay mineral group
Mica group
Chlorite group
Other sheet silicates
Chain silicate subclass
Pyroxene group
amphibole group
Pyroxenoid group
Ring silicate subclass
Isolated tetrahedral silicate subclass
Garnet group
Olivine group
Humite group
Aluminosilicate group
Other isolated tetrahedral
Silicates
Paired tetrahedral silicate subclass
Lawsonite group
Epidote group
II. Native Element Class
metals
semimetals
nonmetals
III. Sulfide Class
Tetrahedral sulfide group
ctahedral sulfide group
other sulfides
IV. Halide Class
V. Oxide Class
tetrahedral and octahedral
oxide group
spinels and other oxides with
mixed or unusual coordination
VI. Hydroxide Class
VII. Carbonate and Nitrate Class
calcite group
dolomite group
aragonite group
other carbonates
nitrate group
VIII. Borate Class
anhydrous borate group
hydrous borate group
IX. Sulfate Class
anhydrous sulfate group
hydrous sulfate group
X. Tungstate, Molybdate, and Chromate Class
tungstate group
molybdate group
chromate group
XI. Phosphate, Arsenate, and Vanadate Class
phosphate group
vanadate group
arsenate group