silikater

Silicates are a large and diverse group of minerals and synthetic compounds composed primarily of silicon and oxygen, with various metal ions. They are built from silicon-oxygen tetrahedra (SiO4) that link together in different ways, making them the most abundant minerals in Earth’s crust. The tetrahedra can join to form six major structural families: nesosilicates (independent tetrahedra), sorosilicates (paired tetrahedra sharing one oxygen), cyclosilicates (rings of tetrahedra), inosilicates (single or double chains), phyllosilicates (sheets), and tectosilicates (three-dimensional frameworks).

Silicates occur in virtually all rock types, from granites to basalts, and make up minerals such as quartz, feldspars, micas, pyroxenes, and amphiboles. Common rocks like granite and basalt owe their characteristics to silicate minerals. Silicates form through magmatic crystallization, metamorphism, and sedimentary processes, and many are altered by hydrothermal activity and weathering.

Industrial and technological relevance is significant. Silicates are essential in glass and ceramic production, cement and refractories, and various abrasives. Silicon derived from silicates underpins much of modern electronics, photovoltaics, and semiconductors.

Structural variation and chemical substitutions within silicates—such as aluminum replacing silicon or iron and magnesium substituting for other metals—produce a wide range of minerals with different colors, hardness, and stability. As a result, silicates dominate the composition of Earth’s crust and play a central role in geology, industry, and technology.