Question

Which of the following is true of carbonate minerals?

1. they are composed primarily of tetrahedral arrangements of silicon and oxygen atoms
2. they are the principal ore minerals in the Earth's crust of metals like iron, copper, zinc, and lead
3. they occur only in igneous rocks
4. they are probably the second most abundant type of mineral in the Earth's crust after silicate minerals
5. they are characterized by the presence of the SO ion in their mineral structure

Answer 1

The truth about carbonate minerals is that they are probably the second most abundant type of mineral in the Earth's crust, following silicates, and are characterized by the carbonate anion, CO3²-, rather than a tetrahedral silica structure.

Step-by-step explanation:

they are probably the second most abundant type of mineral in the Earth's crust after silicate minerals.

Carbonate minerals are indeed noteworthy for being among the most abundant types of minerals in the Earth's crust, second only to silicates. Unlike silicates, which are composed of a tetrahedral arrangement of silicon and oxygen atoms, carbonates are characterized by the carbonate anion, CO3²-. They are significant in both the biological and geological carbon cycles and often include the metals of groups 1 and 2, as well as elements such as zinc, cadmium, mercury, and lead. These carbonate minerals are found in a variety of rock types, including sedimentary, metamorphic, and sometimes igneous rocks, though they are not limited to igneous rocks alone as implied by option 3.

Carbonate minerals do play a role as ore minerals for certain metals but are not the principal ores for metals like iron, copper, zinc, and lead as suggested by option 2, which more commonly occur in sulfide minerals. Options 1 and 5 are incorrect because carbonate minerals do not have a silica tetrahedral structure and do not contain the sulfate ion, SO, respectively.