Tag: Mineral definition

While many students use platforms like Quizlet to quickly memorize mineral characteristics, a mineral is officially defined by five key scientific criteria. A substance must meet all five strict requirements—like being naturally occurring and having a crystal structure—to be considered a mineral, distinguishing it from rocks and other substances.

Manganese, a chemical element with the symbol Mn and atomic number 25, is a grayish-white, brittle metal. While it is a critical component of many geological minerals, the element itself is not a mineral under the strict geological definition.

According to the U.S. National Park Service, minerals are the building blocks of Earth's rocks and sands. To be considered a true mineral by geologists, a substance must meet five specific criteria: it must be naturally occurring, inorganic, solid, possess a definite chemical composition, and have a crystalline structure.

While both sugar and salt appear as white, crystalline solids, only one is actually a mineral. Despite its rock-like crystalline structure, sugar is not a mineral and fails to meet several key geological and chemical criteria. Understanding the difference requires a closer look at the scientific definition of a mineral and sugar's organic origins.

Over 90% of the Earth's crust is composed of just eight elements, which combine to form the vast array of minerals that shape our planet. A mineral is a naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a defined chemical composition and a crystalline structure, and its importance spans from the foundation of Earth's geology to essential functions within the human body.