Silicates & Quartz
Cyclosilicate
What it is
Silicates where the silicon-oxygen tetrahedra are linked in rings. This ring structure creates the characteristic hexagonal crystal habit seen in beryl and tourmaline, though this category catches the less common ring silicates.
How it forms
Ring silicates typically form in pegmatites and hydrothermal veins where boron or beryllium is available.
Si₆O₁₈ ring structures
