This group is the simplest of all the silicate subclasses. They are characterized by isolated silicate tetrahedra that are bound to each other only by positively-charged elements.

Minerals of the nesosilicate subclass have a higher density, index of refraction, and hardness than chemically similar silicates in other subclasses. Consequentially, there are more gemstones in the nesosilicates than in any other silicate subclass.