Mineral

Name:
Mineral
Detailed information:
A widely used general term referring to the nonliving constituents of the earth's crust that includes naturally occurring elements, compounds, and mixtures that have a definite range of chemical composition and properties. Usually inorganic, but sometimes including fossil fuels (e.g., coal), minerals are the raw materials for a wide vareity of elements (chiefly metals) and chemical compounds. Minerals can be and many are synthesized to achieve purity greater than that found in natural products. The term mineral industry statistically comprehends the mining and production of metals (ores) fossil fuels, clay, gemstones, cement, glass, rocks, sulfur, sand, etc. Mineralogy is the study and classification of minerals by source, chemical composition, and properties, chiefly physical, such as color, hardness, and crystalline structure. This term was used by early chemists to describe a variety of substances; many of these uses are obsolescent, but a few persist including the following: mineral black: inorganic black pigments mineral blue: varieties of blue pigments mineral dust: industrial dust, nuisance dust mineral green: copper carbonate mineral oil: a liquid petroleum derivative mineral pitch: asphalt mineral red: iron oxide red mineral rubber: blown asphalt mineral spirits: a grade of naphtha mineral water: natural spring water containing sulfur, iron, etc. mineral wax: a wax found in the earth (ozocerite), or derived from petroleum mineral wool: fibers made by blowing air or steam through slag As used by nutritionists the term refers to such components of foods as iron, copper, phosphorus, calcium, iodine, selenium, fluorine, and trace micronutrients.