What makes a mineral a mineral?

It has a fixed chemical formula Each mineral has a particular chemical make up. While most minerals are compounds of two or more elements, some minerals are made up of a single element. read more

A mineral is a naturally occurring chemical compound, usually of crystalline form and not produced by life processes. A mineral has one specific chemical composition, whereas a rock can be an aggregate of different minerals or mineraloids. The study of minerals is called mineralogy. read more

A mineral is a naturally occurring inorganic solid, with a definite chemical composition, and an ordered atomic arrangement. This may seem a bit of a mouthful, but if you break it down it becomes simpler. read more