The silicate minerals make up the great majority of rocks. Silicate is a chemical term for the group of a single atom of silicon surrounded by four atoms of oxygen, or SiO4, in the shape of a tetrahedron. Geochemists speak of silica tetrahedra a lot, and you'll se it throughout this gallery as I describe the structure of various silicate minerals.
 Amphibole (Hornblende) |  Andalusite |  Axinite |  Benitoite |
 Beryl |  Chlorite |  Chrysocolla |  Dioptase |
 Dumortierite |  Epidote |  Eudialyte |  Feldspar (Microcline) |
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