ACoal and Petroleum
BOrganic decomposition
CMagma (Molten rock)
DCrystalline Water
Answer:
C. Magma (Molten rock)
Read Explanation:
Origin of Minerals
Magma as the Primary Source
Magma, which is molten rock found beneath the Earth's surface, is considered the fundamental source of all minerals.
As magma cools and solidifies, either below the surface (forming intrusive igneous rocks) or after erupting as lava (forming extrusive igneous rocks), various minerals crystallize from it.
The specific conditions of cooling, such as temperature and pressure, influence the types of minerals that form.
Mineral Formation Processes
Crystallization: This is the primary process where mineral crystals grow from a melt (magma or lava). Different elements in the magma combine in specific ratios and arrangements to form distinct mineral structures.
Sublimation: Some minerals can form directly from gases to solids, bypassing the liquid state. This often occurs near volcanic vents.
Biochemical Processes: While not directly from magma, many minerals are formed through the actions of living organisms, which precipitate dissolved ions from water. However, the elements themselves ultimately originate from the Earth's crust and mantle, which were derived from primordial magma.
Metamorphism: Existing rocks, formed from solidified magma, can be transformed by heat and pressure deep within the Earth. This process can cause minerals to recrystallize or new minerals to form, but the original elements still trace back to magmatic origins.
Examples of Minerals from Magma
Feldspar: A group of essential rock-forming minerals found in most igneous rocks.
Quartz: Silicon dioxide, common in many igneous and metamorphic rocks.
Mica: Sheet silicates that are often found in igneous and metamorphic rocks.
Olivine and Pyroxene: Minerals typically found in mafic and ultramafic igneous rocks, which are formed from hotter, more primitive magmas.