Step 1: Understanding the question.
The question involves the use of the Gibbs phase rule to calculate the variance (degrees of freedom) for the mineral assemblage at point X in a three-component system.
Step 2: Analyzing the solution.
The Gibbs phase rule for a system with \(C\) components and \(F\) phases is given by:
\[
F = C - P + 2
\]
Where \(F\) is the variance, \(C\) is the number of components, and \(P\) is the number of phases. In this case, for a three-component system with a crossing tie-line, there are 3 components and 2 phases at point X, so the variance is:
\[
F = 3 - 2 + 2 = 2
\]
Step 3: Conclusion.
The correct answer is 2, the variance at point X.