Classification

Naturally formed solids with a definite chemical composition and an ordered atomic arrangement (crystal structure). The International Mineralogical Association (IMA) recognises more than 6,000 mineral species today.

• 1

  Elements

  6

  Minerals made of a single element: gold, copper, sulfur, diamond…

  • Graphite
  • Sulfur
  • Copper
  • Silver
  • Gold
  • Diamond
• 2

  Sulfides and sulfosalts

  6

  Compounds of metals with sulfur; the main ores of many metals.

  • Pyrite
  • Chalcopyrite
  • Cinnabar
  • Galena
  • Sphalerite
  • Stibnite
• 3

  Halides

  2

  Minerals built with chlorine, fluorine and similar elements: rock salt, fluorite.

  • Halite (rock salt)
  • Fluorite
• 4

  Oxides and hydroxides

  19

  Compounds of metals with oxygen: corundum, hematite, quartz (in Nickel-Strunz).

  • Goethite (limonite)
  • Quartz
  • Chalcedony
  • Chromite
  • Corundum
  • Hematite
  • Magnetite
  • Uraninite
  • Agate
  • Amethyst
  • Citrine
  • Onyx
  • Rose quartz
  • Smoky quartz
  • Tiger's eye
  • Diaspore
  • Spinel
  • Ruby
  • Sapphire
• 5

  Carbonates and nitrates

  4

  Calcite, dolomite, malachite… Many fizz in dilute acid.

  • Dolomite
  • Calcite
  • Azurite
  • Malachite
• 6

  Borates

  3

  Boron minerals. The world’s largest boron deposits are in Türkiye.

  • Borax (tincal)
  • Colemanite
  • Ulexite
• 7

  Sulfates

  3

  Gypsum, baryte, celestine…

  • Gypsum
  • Baryte
  • Celestine
• 8

  Phosphates

  2

  Apatite, turquoise… Our teeth and bones are made of an apatite-like material.

  • Apatite
  • Turquoise
• 9

  Silicates

  26

  Built from silicon–oxygen tetrahedra, the largest class, making up most of Earth’s crust.

  • Nesosilicates

    6

    Isolated tetrahedra: olivine, garnet, zircon, topaz.

    • Olivine
    • Kyanite
    • Garnet
    • Zircon
    • Peridot
    • Topaz

  • Sorosilicates

    3

    Paired tetrahedra: epidote, zoisite (tanzanite).

    • Epidote
    • Zoisite
    • Tanzanite

  • Cyclosilicates

    4

    Rings: beryl (emerald), tourmaline.

    • Beryl
    • Aquamarine
    • Tourmaline
    • Emerald

  • Inosilicates

    3

    Chains: pyroxenes, amphiboles, jade.

    • Augite (pyroxene)
    • Hornblende (amphibole)
    • Jade

  • Phyllosilicates

    6

    Sheets: micas, talc, clay minerals, meerschaum.

    • Biotite
    • Chrysotile (white asbestos)
    • Talc
    • Kaolinite
    • Muscovite
    • Meerschaum

  • Tectosilicates

    4

    Frameworks: feldspars, zeolites.

    • Orthoclase
    • Plagioclase
    • Labradorite
    • Moonstone
• 10

  Organic compounds

  0

  Rare minerals of organic origin.

  No pages on this branch yet.

Natural aggregates of one or more minerals (sometimes glass or organic matter). Rocks are divided into three great groups by how they form.

• Igneous rocks

  12

  Formed when molten rock (magma or lava) cools and solidifies.

  • Intrusive (plutonic)

    4

    Cooled slowly deep underground, coarse-grained: granite, gabbro.

    • Peridotite
    • Diorite
    • Gabbro
    • Granite

  • Extrusive (volcanic)

    8

    Cooled quickly at the surface, fine-grained or glassy: basalt, andesite, obsidian.

    • Andesite
    • Basalt
    • Dacite
    • Pumice
    • Rhyolite
    • Ignimbrite
    • Tuff
    • Obsidian

• Sedimentary rocks

  9

  Formed from accumulated and hardened fragments, chemical precipitates or the remains of living things.

  • Clastic

    5

    From fragments such as sand, gravel and clay: sandstone, conglomerate.

    • Breccia
    • Claystone
    • Conglomerate
    • Shale
    • Sandstone

  • Chemical and biochemical

    3

    Precipitated from water or built from shells: limestone, travertine, rock salt.

    • Chert and flint
    • Limestone
    • Travertine

  • Organic

    1

    From plant remains: coal.

    • Coal

• Metamorphic rocks

  8

  Formed when existing rocks are transformed by heat and pressure without melting.

  • Foliated

    3

    Minerals aligned in layers: slate, schist, gneiss.

    • Schist
    • Gneiss
    • Slate

  • Non-foliated

    5

    Massive, without layering: marble, quartzite.

    • Quartzite
    • Serpentinite
    • Marble
    • Jade
    • Lapis lazuli

Natural substances that resemble minerals but lack an ordered crystal structure: opal, volcanic glass.

• Obsidian
• Tektite
• Opal

Stones produced by living things or formed from their remains: amber, pearl, coral, jet (Oltu stone).

• Amber
• Coral
• Oltu stone
• Pearl

Stones and masses of metal that fell to Earth from space, and the glasses that large impacts created on Earth.

• Stony meteorites

  1

  Made mostly of silicate minerals; most meteorites that fall belong here.

  • Chondrite

• Iron meteorites

  1

  Made of iron–nickel alloy; pieces of the cores of shattered planetesimals.

  • Iron meteorite

• Stony-iron meteorites

  1

  Roughly equal mixtures of metal and silicate; pallasites belong here.

  • Pallasite

• Impact glasses

  1

  Not meteorites: formed from Earth rocks melted and flung out by large impacts (tektites).

  • Tektite