Silicate minerals

The silicate minerals are rock-forming minerals, constituting approximately 90 percent of the crust of the Earth. They are classified based on the structure of their silicate group which contain different ratios of silicon and oxygen. They make up the largest and most important class of rock-forming minerals.

Nesosilicates or orthosilicates

Nesosilicates (from Greek νησος nēsos, island), or orthosilicates, have the orthosilicate ion, which constitute isolated (insular) [SiO₄]⁴⁻tetrahedra that are connected only by interstitial cations. Nickel-Strunz classification: 09.A