cyclosilicate

views updated

cyclosilicate (ring silicate, metasilicate) Applied to the ‘ring’ structure of linked SiO4 tetrahedra in silicate minerals. The ratio of Si to O is 1 : 3 and there may be three, four, or six SiO4 tetrahedra linked together. Examples of cyclosilicates include tourmaline, beryl, axinite, and cordierite.