Of all the minerals important for good health, Silica is by far the most underrated and misunderstood mineral of all. It is the seventh most prevalent element in human tissue after calcium. Research done in the 1970's by Dr. Edith Carlisle at the UCLA School of Public Health affirmed without any doubt the extreme importance of Silica. Her research showed Silica to be essential in collagen formation and connective tissue strength. Collagen is the tough fibrous material which holds our cells together and is the major component of everything from our bones to our skin.