Final answer:
Most of the major chemical classes of minerals are defined by the chemical group that the mineral contains. The silicate group is one of the most important and abundant chemical groups in minerals, making up approximately 30% of all minerals and 90% of the Earth's crust.
Step-by-step explanation:
The major chemical classes of minerals are defined by the chemical group that the mineral contains. One of the most important and abundant chemical groups found in minerals is the silicate group. Silicates are minerals composed of silicon and oxygen and make up approximately 30% of all minerals and 90% of the Earth's crust. Silicates have a tetrahedral structure, with each silicon atom surrounded by four oxygen atoms.
Other chemical groups that define major mineral classes include sulfides, carbonates, oxides, halides, and sulfates. Sulfides contain sulfur combined with a metal, carbonates contain carbon and oxygen, oxides contain oxygen combined with a metal or element, halides contain a halogen element combined with a metal, and sulfates contain sulfur, oxygen, and a metal.