An archaic use of the word “mineral” comes from the Linnaean taxonomy in which all things can be assigned to the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms.

Inconsistent Use of “Mineral”

The word “mineral” is also used inconsistently. In mining, anything obtained from the ground and used by man is considered to be a “mineral commodity” or a “mineral material.” These include: crushed stone, which is a manufactured product made from crushed rocks; lime, which is a manufactured product made from limestone or marble (both composed of the mineral calcite); coal which is organic; oil and gas which are organic fluids; rocks such as granite that are mixtures of minerals; and, rocks such as obsidian which are mineraloids and do not have a definite composition and ordered internal structure.