Contents of 2.6 What determines the physical properties of minerals?

2.6 What determines the <br />physical properties of minerals?

Size and charge of ions matter

Smaller ions can fit into tighter spaces
Often a structure will prefer certain positive ions based on both charge and size

This chart schematically shows the electrical charges and diameters of several ions that are common in rock-forming minerals. Ions can substitute for one another in a mineral atomic structure when their charges and sizes are similar

Fig 2.22