Chapter 25, Problem 9RQ

What is the most abundant mineral in Earth’s crust? What is the second most abundant mineral?

To determine

The most abundant mineral in Earth’s crust and the second most abundant mineral.

Answer to Problem 9RQ

The most abundant mineral in Earth’s crust is feldspar and the second most abundant mineral is quartz.

Explanation of Solution

A mineral is a naturally created crystalline solid with a specific chemical composition. Many minerals can be found from their physical properties- crystal form, hardness, fracture, cleavage, luster, color, streak and density.

Feldspar and Quartz are the most abundant and the second most abundant mineral in Earth’s crust, respectively. They both are silicate minerals. The minerals which contain oxygen and silicon elements are called silicate minerals. Feldspar is made of aluminum, sodium, calcium, potassium, oxygen and silicon. More than $50\%$ of Earth’s crust is made up of feldspar. Quartz is made up of oxygen and silicon elements.

Conclusion:

Therefore, the most abundant mineral in Earth’s crust is feldspar and the second most abundant mineral is quartz.