2006-09-23 15:30:56 · 3 answers · asked by Gideon 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
The persons above are wrong. Rock-forming minerals (the big 8) are just the common ones that are the main constituants of most common unaltered rocks. Which minerals fall into this may be debatable, but the majority of rocks on earth are made of Quartz, Kspar, Plag, Pyroxene, Amphibole, Biotite, Muscovite, and Calcite. Minerals like Olivine, Magnetite, and Hemetite can be common too. Other common minerlas like Serpentine, Pyrite, and Dolomite are usually secondary, not really 'forming' the rock. Certain minerals like Sphene, Calcopyrite, Garnet are usually accessories, so they don't really 'form' rocks either.
2006-09-23 15:45:17 · answer #1 · answered by QFL 24-7 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Minerals are the structures that form rocks, which means that they are much smaller than what is considered a rock. I should know if all minerals are considered to be rock forming minerals but I'm not totally sure. I think the answer though is no. Minerals don't just form rocks they also form other types of materials metals etc.
2006-09-23 22:40:14 · answer #2 · answered by alias_47 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
not sure exactly
metals are minerals too. maybe some minerals don't form rock.
Silicon and Oxygen combine to form quartz, so Si IS a Rock forming mineral.
I think a periodic table and and book on rocks with the Chemical formulas would soon answer that question.
2006-09-23 22:35:22 · answer #3 · answered by kurticus1024 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋