<P> There are over 5,300 known mineral species ; as of March 2017 , over 5,230 of these had been approved by the International Mineralogical Association ( IMA ) . The silicate minerals compose over 90 % of the Earth 's crust . Silicon and oxygen constitute approximately 75 % of the Earth 's crust , which translates directly into the predominance of silicate minerals . </P>
<P> There are over 5,300 known mineral species ; as of March 2017 , over 5,230 of these had been approved by the International Mineralogical Association ( IMA ) . The silicate minerals compose over 90 % of the Earth 's crust . Silicon and oxygen constitute approximately 75 % of the Earth 's crust , which translates directly into the predominance of silicate minerals . </P>
where do most useful minerals occur in nature
where do most useful minerals occur in nature
Earth 's crust
Earth 's crust