Final answer:
Silicates are the most abundant and complex class of minerals, constituting about 90% of the Earth's crust. Examples include garnet and andalusite for silicates, gold for native elements, hematite for oxides, and others for different mineral classes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The examples of minerals associated with the major mineral classes are:
- Silicates: Garnet, andalusite, sillimanite, kyanite, staurolite, cordierite
- Native elements: Gold, silver, copper
- Oxides: Hematite (Fe2O3), magnetite (Fe3O4)
- Sulfides: Pyrite (FeS2), cinnabar (HgS)
- Sulfates: Gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O), barite (BaSO4)
- Halides: Halite (NaCl), fluorite (CaF2)
- Carbonates: Calcite (CaCO3), dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2)
Silicates are the largest and most complex class of minerals, comprising approximately 90% of the Earth's crust. Silicate minerals include a silicon-oxygen tetrahedron structure, and they vary in complexity from single units to elaborate frameworks. These minerals are critically important due to their abundance and diverse properties.