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Earth and Space Sciences · Glossary

What is Structural formula, Mg number?

Also known as: structural formula (mineral) · Mg number

Definition 7.8 University Earth and Space Sciences — Year 1 · Chapter 7 — Rock-Forming Minerals

The structural formula of a mineral gives, for a fixed number of oxygen atoms, the number of atoms of each element and the site each occupies, the ions sharing a site written together: olivine (Mg,Fe)2SiO4\mathrm{(Mg, Fe)_2SiO_4}, a plagioclase (Na0.5Ca0.5)(Al1.5Si2.5)O8\mathrm{(Na_{0.5}Ca_{0.5})(Al_{1.5}Si_{2.5})O_8}. The Mg number of a mineral or a rock is

Mg#=100 MgMg+Fe2+,\mathrm{Mg\#} = 100\,\frac{\mathrm{Mg}}{\mathrm{Mg} + \mathrm{Fe^{2+}}},

the numbers of atoms being counted in moles (or per formula unit).

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