5.3 Mineral Groups – Physical Geology, First University of ...
5.3 Mineral Groups Minerals are organized according to the anion or anion group (a group of atoms with a net negative charge, e.g., SO 4 2–) they contain, because the anion or anion group has the biggest effect on the properties of the mineral. Silicates, with the anion group SiO 4 4-, are by far the most abundant group in the crust and mantle.. (They will be discussed in Section