Silicates Meaning
Let’s talk about silicates in chemistry. Silicates are an anion that consists of both silicon and oxygen. The family of silicates consists mainly of orthosilicates, metasilicates, and parasilicates. The name is also used for any salt of such anions, for example, sodium metasilicate.
Silicate anions often are already polymeric molecules and they have an extensive variety of structures. Silicates in geology and anatomy mean silicate minerals, ionic solids with silicate anions, and rock salts that consist of these minerals predominantly.
Its general formula is \[(SiO._{4-x})_{n}\]. Silicate mineral is composed of silicate groups. Silica sand or quartz sand is silica ore. These are rock-forming minerals. It consists of \[SiO{_{4}}^{4-}\] tetrahedra. In silicates only Si-O bonds are present. The hybridization of silicon in silicate is \[ sp^{3}\]. The Si is present at the center of the tetrahedra with oxygen occupying the four corners of the tetrahedra.
Sometimes some anions that do not fit in the formula that is mentioned above can also be called silicates, only if they have the presence of silicon. For example, hexafluorosilicate does not fit in the formula of these silicates but still, its anions, due to the presence of silicone, are referred to as silicates.
Silicate Structure
Silica is a crystalline polymer. It is a giant molecule with a tetrahedral \[SiO{_{4}}^{4-}\] monomer. The silica monomer unit polymerizes through the Si-O-Si bonds. The oxygen atom is surrounded by two silicon atoms. The hybridization of silicon in silica is \[ sp^{3}\]. In the silica structure, silicon is present at the center of the tetrahedral unit.
Silica Types
Orthosilicates Mineral
It is represented by \[SiO{_{4}}^{4-}\]. These contain discrete \[SiO{_{4}}^{4-}\] tetrahedra. The corner in Orthosilicates is not shared.
Examples of orthosilicate minerals are willemite (\[ZnSiO_{4}\]) and olivine (\[MgSiO_{4}\]). These types of silicates are formed by metals. Therefore, also known as metal silicates.
Pyro Silicate
It is represented as \[ Si_{2}O{_{7}}^{6-}\]. It is also known as soro-silicate or disilicate. In this type of silicate two tetrahedra units are joined together by sharing one oxygen. These are also called island silicates.
Examples of pyro silicate minerals are Thortveitite \[(Si_{2} (Si_{2}O_{7}))\] and hemimorphite \[(Zn_{4}(OH)_{2} (Si_{2}O_{7}). H_{2}O)\].
Cyclic or Ring Silicates
It is represented as \[(SiO{_{3}}^{2-})\]n. In this type of ring silicates, two oxygen atoms per tetrahedron are shared to form closed rings.
Examples of cyclic or ring silicate minerals are wollastonite \[Ca_{3}(Si_{3}O_{9})\] and benitoite BaTi (\[Si_{3}O_{9}\]).
Chain Silicates
It is represented as \[(SiO_{3})_{n - 2n}\]. These types of silicates are also known as Ino-silicates, metasilicates, pyroxenes, linear silicates. When two oxygen atoms are being shared with two tetrahedra to form a chain.
Examples of chain silicates are spodumene (Li Al \[(SiO_{3})_{2}\]) and diopside (Ca Mg \[(SiO_{3})_{2}\])
Double chain silicates are also formed, by joining two chains. These types of silicates are called amphiboles.
Examples of double chain silicate minerals are tremolite \[(Ca_{2}Mg_{5}(Si_{4}O_{11})_{2} (OH)_{2})\], asbestos.
Sheet Silicates
These types of silicates are also known as Phyllosilicates. These are formed by sharing three bridging oxygen per silicon atom. So a two-dimensional sheet is formed.
Structure of sheet silicates.
In the structure of sheet silicates, three tetrahedra oxygen is being shared. So there is one unit negative charge per tetrahedral. This negative charge is neutralized by cations between the sheets.
Examples of sheet silicates are mica, clay, talc, and muscovite.
Three-dimensional Silicates- It is represented as \[(SiO_{2})_{n}\]. When all the four corners of the oxygen atom of tetrahedra are shared, a three-dimensional network of silica is formed. These types of silicates are neutral. Silicate minerals that contain the three-dimensional framework are known as tectosilicates. Perhaps, they are the most structurally complicated silicates, being those that have silicon and oxygen networks that can extend into any three-dimensional area.
Examples of such silicates are quartz and tridymite. Feldspar is the most famous of them all.
Examples of Such Silicates are Quartz and Tridymite
What is Silica Rock?
Silica rocks are the type of sedimentary rocks that largely consists of silica dioxide. These silica rocks can occur or exist either in the form of quartz or as amorphous silica and cristobalite. It basically includes the rocks that are formed as chemical precipitates and it excludes the rocks whose origin is either detrital or fragmental. Siliceous Rock is a good example of silica rock and the most common silica rock is known as chert.
Uses of Silicates
Silica is used in making concrete materials like glasses.
The most common use of these silicates is that they can be used in making silica refractory bricks. They are extremely high-quality bricks.
It is used in making abrasive material. These materials are used for grinding, polishing, and cleaning.
Silicates are used in making prisms, eyeglasses, and cuvette. It is used in making different types of laboratory apparatus.
For diverse manufacturing, technological and artistic needs silicates are used as they are versatile materials that are both available naturally and artificially.
Examples of natural silicates include graphite, gravel, and garnets.
Examples of artificial silicates include Portland cement, ceramics, glass, and water glass.
Did You know?
Chert rock is a type of microcrystalline rock, which is composed of chalcedony and quartz.
Chert rock is mentioned as the second most abundant precipitated rock. Precipitated rock is the one that is formed by the precipitation of minerals from water.
The most abundant chemically precipitated rock is limestone.
Quartz is the purest form of silica.
All the silica rocks are sedimentary rocks, sedimentary rocks are the ones that are formed by the accumulation of or deposition of minerals or organic particles at the surface of the earth.
Conclusion
If you are taking up chemistry, then learning about Silicate Minerals will help in the long term. Vedantu has covered all points to learn.
FAQs on Silicate Mineral
1. What is a silicate mineral?
A silicate mineral is a rock-forming mineral primarily composed of silicate groups. These minerals are the largest and most important class of minerals, making up approximately 90 percent of the Earth's crust. The fundamental building block of all silicates is the silicon-oxygen tetrahedron, a structure with a central silicon atom bonded to four oxygen atoms.
2. What is the basic structural unit of all silicate minerals?
The basic structural unit of all silicate minerals is the [SiO₄]⁴⁻ tetrahedron. In this structure, a central silicon ion (Si⁴⁺) is covalently bonded to four oxygen ions (O²⁻) arranged at the corners of a tetrahedron. These tetrahedra can link together in various ways by sharing oxygen atoms, which gives rise to the vast diversity of silicate minerals.
3. How are silicate minerals classified based on their structure?
Silicate minerals are classified into different groups based on how the [SiO₄]⁴⁻ tetrahedra are linked together. The main classifications are:
- Nesosilicates (Ortho-silicates): Isolated tetrahedra, e.g., Olivine.
- Sorosilicates: Two tetrahedra sharing one oxygen atom, e.g., Hemimorphite.
- Inosilicates (Chain Silicates): Tetrahedra linked in single or double chains, e.g., Pyroxenes (single chain) and Amphiboles (double chain).
- Phyllosilicates (Sheet Silicates): Tetrahedra linked in 2D sheets, with each tetrahedron sharing three oxygen atoms, e.g., Mica and Talc.
- Tectosilicates (Framework Silicates): A 3D framework where all four oxygen atoms of each tetrahedron are shared, e.g., Quartz and Feldspars.
4. What are some common examples and uses of silicate minerals in daily life?
Silicate minerals are essential in many industrial and household applications. Common examples include:
- Quartz: Used in making glass, lenses, and electronic components due to its hardness and piezoelectric properties.
- Feldspar: A key ingredient in manufacturing ceramics, porcelain, and as a filler in paints and plastics.
- Mica: Used as an insulator in electrical equipment and for its glittery effect in cosmetics and paints.
- Talc: The softest known mineral, used in talcum powder, plastics, and paper.
- Asbestos: Previously used for its fire-resistant properties in insulation and construction, though its use is now highly restricted due to health risks.
5. Why do silicate minerals form such a large and diverse group of minerals on Earth?
The dominance and diversity of silicate minerals are due to two main reasons. Firstly, silicon and oxygen are the two most abundant elements in the Earth's crust. Secondly, the silicon-oxygen bond is very strong, and the [SiO₄]⁴⁻ tetrahedron has the unique ability to link with itself in numerous ways—forming isolated units, pairs, rings, chains, sheets, and 3D frameworks. This structural versatility allows for the formation of thousands of different silicate minerals with a wide range of properties and compositions.
6. Is quartz (SiO₂) considered a silicate mineral even though its formula doesn't show a typical silicate anion?
Yes, quartz (SiO₂) is a classic example of a silicate mineral, specifically a tectosilicate or framework silicate. In its structure, every oxygen atom is shared between two adjacent silicon tetrahedra. This complete sharing neutralises the overall charge, resulting in the simple chemical formula SiO₂. While it doesn't have a separate anion like [SiO₄]⁴⁻, its entire crystal structure is built from interconnected silica tetrahedra, which is the defining characteristic of a silicate.
7. How do the physical properties of silicate minerals, like cleavage and hardness, relate to their internal atomic structure?
The physical properties of silicates are directly linked to their internal arrangement of silica tetrahedra. For instance:
- Hardness: Tectosilicates like quartz, with a strong, interconnected 3D framework of Si-O bonds, are very hard. In contrast, phyllosilicates like talc, where sheets are held by weak van der Waals forces, are very soft.
- Cleavage: Phyllosilicates (sheet silicates) like mica exhibit perfect cleavage in one direction, easily splitting into thin sheets along the weak bonds between the layers. Inosilicates (chain silicates) have good cleavage parallel to the chains. Tectosilicates like quartz have no cleavage because the bond strength is uniform in all directions.
8. What are the key differences between silicate and non-silicate minerals?
The primary difference lies in their chemical composition and basic structural unit. Silicate minerals are built around the silicon-oxygen [SiO₄]⁴⁻ tetrahedron. Non-silicate minerals lack this structure and are classified based on other anions, such as:
- Oxides: Contain oxygen and one or more metals (e.g., Hematite, Fe₂O₃).
- Carbonates: Contain the carbonate ion (CO₃)²⁻ (e.g., Calcite, CaCO₃).
- Sulfides: Contain the sulfide ion (S²⁻) (e.g., Pyrite, FeS₂).
- Sulphates: Contain the sulphate ion (SO₄)²⁻ (e.g., Gypsum, CaSO₄·2H₂O).
Silicates are far more common in the Earth's crust than all non-silicate minerals combined.
