Common Oxide Minerals Cuprite-- Cu2O Zincite--ZnO Corundum--Al2O3 Hematite--Fe2O3 Ilmenite--FeTiO3 Rutile--TiO2 Pyrolusite--MnO2 Cassiterite--SnO2 Uraninite--UO2 Spinel--MgAl2O4 Gahnite--ZnAl2O4 Magnetite--Fe3O4 Franklinite--(Zn, Fe, Mn)(Fe, Mn)2O4 Chromite--FeCr2O4 Chrysoberyl--BeAl2O4 Columbite--(Fe, Mn) (Nb, Ta)2O6 Brucite--MgOH2 Manganite--MnO(OH) Psilomelane--(Ba, H2O)Mn5O10 Diaspore--HAlO2 Goethite--HFeO2 Bauxite--Aluminum hydrates The links above will take you to the Mineral Gallery website (http://www.galleries.com).

The minerals that make up the oxide class include those in which oxygen is combined with one or more metals. Within the oxide class are several minerals of great economic importance. These include the chief ores of iron, chromium, manganese, tin, and aluminum. Chromite. The only ore of chromium with 99 percent of the world's supply coming from South Africa and Zimbabwe. It is the major constituent in stainless steel. Columbite. The name comes from Columbia, a name for America, where the original specimen was found. The largest crystal was from South Dakota. It weighed 827 kg. Rutile. It is found in large quantities in the black sands of Australia, the largest producer. One use is to give false teeth a yellow color.

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Mineral Groups