Answer to Question #117989 in Microbiology for Muel

Question

Describe the structure of any two tectosilicates minerals found in the soil quality. Discuss.

Answer 1

Tectosilicates are framework silicates which have a three-dimensional framework of silicate tetrahedra with SiO₂ or a 1:2 ratio. This is the largest mineral group comprising nearly 75% of the crust of the Earth.These tectosilicates are largely available as natural minerals in the soil and are composed mainly by anorthite (CaAl2Si2O8), albite (NaAlSi3O8) and orthoclase (KAlSi3O8), in which albite has approximately 3 times the content of orthoclase and 2.5 times the content of anorthite.