Silicon, also known as silica or silox (from the Latin "silex"), is an oxide of silicon.

Silica is considered a macromineral and is the most abundant mineral in the earth's crust.

Silicon molecules are abundant in the body, giving strength and stability to the nails and connective tissue. It also helps make bone, blood vessels, cartilage, and tendons strong.

References

Peter Jutzi, Ulrich Schubert, (2003), Silicon chemistry: from the atom to extended systems, Wiley-VCH ISBN 3527306471