Minerals are defined as solid, inorganic, naturally occurring substances with a definite chemical formula and general structure. Almost all chemical elements in the Earth's crust are associated with at least one mineral.
Minerals are inorganic substances (such as rocks and similar matter) found in the earth strata, as opposed to organic substances such as plant and animal matter. Some familiar minerals are what we think of as “good minerals” – things like calcium, magnesium and potassium.
A mineral is a crystalline solid formed through natural processes. A mineral can be an element or a compound, but it has a specific chemical composition and physical properties that are different from those of other minerals. Silver, tungsten, halite, and quartz are all examples of minerals.
Geologists study rocks because they contain clues about what the Earth was like in the past. We can assemble a historical record of a planet and trace events that occurred long before humans roamed our planet.
The minerals in our diet are essential for a variety of bodily functions. They are important for building strong bones and teeth, blood, skin, hair, nerve function, muscle and for metabolic processes such as those that turn the food we eat into energy.
Just like vitamins, minerals help your body grow, develop, and stay healthy. The body uses minerals to perform many different functions — from building strong bones to transmitting nerve impulses. Some minerals are even used to make hormones or maintain a normal heartbeat.
Minerals, as the constituents of rocks, make up the solid earth on which we live. Minerals exposed on and near the Earth's surface provide essential nutrients and conditions for plant and animal life. ... The Information Age and the Space Age are every bit as dependent on mineral resources.
There are over 4000 different types of minerals. Only around 30 of these are commonly found in the Earth's crust. Examples of minerals include calcite, gypsum, feldspar, pyrite, gold, quartz and diamond. The precious gems ruby and sapphire are varieties of the mineral corundum.
Why are the minerals formed by these elements, and the rocks that the minerals form, so important? Minerals are the building blocks upon which life and our modern societies depend. Our Earth produces vast amounts of renewable resources – wind, water and soil components, for example.