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Sulfates

Common Sulfate Minerals

Anhydrous Sulfates

Barite-- BaSO4
Celestite--SrSO4
Anglesite--PbSO4
Anhydrite--CaSO4
Crocoite--PbCrO4

Hydrous and Basic Sulfates

Gypsum--CaSO4.2H2O
Chalcanthite--CuSO4.5H2O
Epsomite-- MgSO4.7H2O
Antlerite-Cu3(OH)4SO4
Alunite--KAl3(OH)6(SO4)2

The links above will take you to the Mineral Gallery website
(http://www.galleries.com).
The basic unit of the sulfate minerals are the SO4 groups. These groups combine with metals to form the sulfate minerals.

A large number of minerals belong to this class, but only a few of them are common. The class can be divided into the anhydrous (no water) sulfates and the hydrous (water) and basic sulfates.

Barite. More than 80% of the barite used is in the oil and gas industry. The name comes from the Greek, meaning heavy.
Gypsum. Commonly found in sedimentary rocks. An extensive gypsum deposit is found at White Sands National Monument, New Mexico.

Do you need help with the chemical symbols?
Click here to go to Los Alamos National Laboratory's Chemistry Division's Periodic Table of the Elements.

Think you already know the elements of the periodic table?
Check your knowledge with this quiz.

Mineral Groups