Earth's Lithosphere

The lithosphere is the layer of Earth with which we are most familiar. This is the land where we live. The lithosphere is made up of the crust and the solid part of the upper mantle. The solid, rocky lithosphere is about sixty miles thick.

The crust is made of minerals, which are combinations of elements. Many minerals found in the crust contain both oxygen and silicon. These minerals are called silicates. Quartz is the most abundant silicate found on Earth's surface.