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”…

The word “mineral” is used in many different ways. Here are some examples: Geologist’s Definition A formal definition of a mineral, as used by geologists would be: A naturally occurring inorganic solid that has a definite chemical composition, and an ordered internal structure. Geologists are able to identify minerals because they have characteristic physical properties.…

Ordered internal structure means that the atoms in a mineral are arranged in a systematic and repeating pattern. The structure of the mineral halite is shown in the illustration on this page. Halite is composed of an equal ratio of sodium and chlorine atoms arranged in a cubic pattern.

Definite chemical composition means that all occurrences of that mineral have a chemical composition that varies within a specific limited range. For example: the mineral halite (known as “rock salt” when it is mined) has a chemical composition of NaCl. It is made up of an equal number of atoms of sodium and chlorine.

Every person uses products made from minerals every day. The salt that we add to our food is the mineral halite. Antacid tablets are made from the mineral calcite. Rubies and sapphires are colored varieties of a mineral named corundum. It takes many minerals to make something as simple as a wooden pencil. The “lead” is made from graphite and clay minerals, the brass…

To meet the definition of “mineral” used by most geologists, a substance must meet five requirements:  naturally occurring inorganic solid definite chemical composition ordered internal structure “Naturally occurring” means that people did not make it. Steel is not a mineral because it is an alloy produced by people. “Inorganic” means that the substance is not made by an organism.…