Question

From which mineral silicon is obtained?

Answer 1

Silicon is a chemical element with the atomic number 14 and the symbol Si. It is a tetravalent metalloid and semiconductor that is a hard, brittle crystalline solid with a blue-grey metallic sheen. In the periodic table, it belongs to group 14: carbon is above it, and germanium, tin, lead, and flerovium are below it. It has a low reactivity.

Complete answer:
Silicon is the second most prevalent element on the earth's crust ($27.7\%$ by mass) and may be found in nature as silica and silicates. Silica, commonly known as quartz, is the most common source. Silicon dioxide is also known as silica sand or quartz sand ($Si{{O}_{2}}$). The most abundant component of the Earth's crust is silicon compounds. Sand is the major mineral source of silicon because it is abundant, easy to mine, and relatively easy to process. Quartzite, a metamorphic rock, is another source.
The chemical composition of the magma, the cooling pace, and various features of the individual minerals to be produced, such as lattice energy, melting point, and crystal structure complexity, all influence the crystallisation of igneous rocks from magma. Olivine is the first mineral to form as magma cools, followed by pyroxene, amphibole, biotite mica, orthoclase feldspar, muscovite mica, quartz, zeolites, and hydrothermal minerals. With cooling, this sequence exhibits a tendency toward more complex silicate units, as well as the addition of hydroxide and fluoride anions to the oxides. Many metals can be used in place of silicon. Sedimentary rocks such as clay, shale, and sandstone are produced when igneous rocks are weathered, transported, and deposited. High temperatures and pressures can also cause metamorphism, resulting in a wider range of minerals.

Note:
Natural silicon-based materials have been utilized for thousands of years due to the availability of silicon in the Earth's crust. Various ancient civilizations were familiar with silicon rock crystals, including the predynastic Egyptians who utilized it for beads and tiny vases, as well as the ancient Chinese. The Egyptians, as well as the ancient Phoenicians, have been producing glass containing silica since at least 1500 BC. Natural silicate compounds were also employed in the construction of early human homes in various forms of mortar.