The mineralogical system: Can global plots teach us something new?

Abstract

Data based on end-member formulae of 4872 minerals (4975 entries) were subjected to numerical treatment and plotting. Most conspicuous among the findings is the hydration trend that spans the whole mineralogical system– something that may be related to the geological history of mineral formation on Earth. Interesting negative relationships were confirmed for pairs O and F, O and Cl, and Al and Si, while the O vs. S graph documents the dual nature of the behaviour of sulfur. Determinations of Al and Si have the potential of alarming the analyst that his phase might contain hydrogen. The dataset available also permitted the plotting of histograms that illustrate the preferred concentration distribution of individual elements throughout the mineral kingdom.