Mineral group
A functional grouping of fine-grained hydrous sheet silicates defined as much by grain size and behaviour as by structure. It is not an IMA grouping, and Lithoen marks it informal rather than implying an authority that does not exist.
3 of 3 claims on this page cite at least one registered source. Counts describe how each statement is known, not how likely it is to be true.
Each claim states how it is known and cites its evidence.
Apatite, one of the most frequently named minerals in geochemistry, is also absent from the list of accepted species: it is a group name.
Evidence support: Supported by the cited evidence one source
Evidence: Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification, International Mineralogical Association 2026 Primary authority
Several of the commonest clay names are not accepted species: the IMA list has no entry for chlorite, illite or smectite, while kaolinite and montmorillonite are accepted species within the grouping.
Evidence support: Supported by the cited evidence one source
Evidence: Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification, International Mineralogical Association 2026 Primary authority
“Clay minerals” is not an accepted mineral species: no entry of that name appears in the IMA List of Minerals. It denotes an informal, partly behavioural grouping that the IMA does not define.
Evidence support: Supported by the cited evidence one source
Evidence: Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification, International Mineralogical Association 2026 Primary authority
Record last updated 2026-09-06. Corrections follow the published corrections policy; superseded claims are retained, never silently edited.