Tubular chains in the structures of natural and synthetic silicates have been described and system atized using the theory of graphs and by unfolding the tube topology onto a plane. Eight types of tubular chains have been considered: seven silicon–oxygen chains and one mixed titanosilicate chain; their topolog ical and geometric characteristics are analyzed. It is shown that the presence of large cavities in tubes is gen erally related to their occupation by large lowvalence cations (K+, Cs+, Ba2+, Sr2+, etc.) and water mole cules. The overwhelming majority of minerals containing tubular silicate fragments were found in hydrother mal veins of alkaline massifs in Russia and abroad.