Q. Describe Oxosalts?

In these minerals, metals are present as their oxosalts, such as carbonates, sulphates, nitrates, phosphates, borates and silicates. Some important minerals bf this group are siderite (FeC0₃). magnesite (MgC0₃), dolomite (MgC0₃.CaC0₃), cerussite (PbC0₃), malachite (CuC0₃-Cu (OH)₂), calamine (ZnCO₃), barytes (BaS0₄), gypsum (CaS0₄.2H₂0), epsomite  (MgS0₄7H₂0)anglesite (PbS04), soda nitre (NaN0₃), monazite LaPO₄.CePO₄.NdPO₄.PrPO₄. Th₃ (PO4) 4)spodumene (LiAl₂0₆), zircon (ZrSi0₄), beryl Be₃Si₆0₁₈), etc. Phosphate minerals are, in general, rare and occur in low concentrations. Silicate minerals are abundant in nature. However, the extraction of metals from silicates is difficult and the cost of extraction is very high. Therefore, only the less common metals such as lithium are extracted from silicate minerals.