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As stated above, most minerals exhibit a considerable range in chemical composition. Such variation results from the replacement of one ion or ionic group by another in a particular structure. This phenomenon is termed ionic substitution, or solid solution. Three types of solid solution are possible, and these may be described in terms of their corresponding mechanisms—namely, substitutional, interstitial, and omission. Substitutional solid solution is the most common variety. For example, as described above, in the carbonate mineral rhodochrosite (MnCO3), Fe2+ may substitute for Mn2+ in its atomic site in the structure. The degree of substitution may be influenced by ...(100 of 14209 words)