The building blocks of rocks are minerals. Minerals are naturally occurring inorganic substances with a specific chemical composition and an ordered atomic structure that forms crystals. Rocks are composed of combinations of these minerals cemented together by natural processes
. Common minerals that form rocks include silicates (such as quartz, feldspar, mica, amphibole, pyroxene, and olivine) and carbonates (such as calcite and dolomite). These minerals are made up of elements like oxygen, silicon, aluminum, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium, which together constitute more than 98% of the Earth's crust by weight
. The geosphere, which is the solid part of the Earth, primarily consists of these minerals and rocks. It includes the Earth's crust, mantle, and core. The crust is the outermost layer where most rocks and minerals are found, while the mantle and core contain different compositions, with the core mainly composed of iron and nickel
. In summary:
- Building blocks of rocks: Minerals
- Common rock-forming minerals: Silicates (quartz, feldspar, mica, etc.), carbonates (calcite, dolomite)
- Elements making up minerals: Oxygen, silicon, aluminum, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium
- Location: Mostly found in the geosphere, especially in the Earth's crust
This explains how minerals form the fundamental components of rocks within the geosphere, shaping the solid Earth beneath our feet
