Coal is a solid, but is composed of almost pure carbon. Both of these molecules are silicates. On you own, define an atom, ion, anion, and cation. Ions are charged atoms that combine electrically and form minerals with multiple atoms. In this case, sodium is the positively charged cation and chlorine is the negatively charged anion.
Chemical bonds allow charged elements, ions, to combine and form compounds.
The compounds may satisfy the definition of a mineral. H 2 O in its liquid or gaseous form. The silicon cation has a charge of plus four - the oxygen anion has a charge of negative 2. This pattern of atoms allows some minerals to have distinctive crystalline form and cleavage. Very importantly, the stacking arrangement of the atoms.