This article is about minerals in the geologic sense; for nutrient minerals see dietary mineral; for the band see Mineral (band). Minerals are natural compounds formed through geological processes. The term "mineral" encompasses not only the material's chemical composition but also the mineral structures. Minerals range in composition from pure elements and simple salts to very complex silicates with thousands of known forms (organic compounds are usually excluded). The study of minerals is called mineralogy. < ...

Including:

• Mineral - Mineral definition and classification
• Mineral - Minerals and rocks
• Mineral - Physical properties of minerals
• Mineral - Chemical properties of minerals

Read more here: » Mineral: Encyclopedia - Mineral

To be classified as a "true" mineral, a substance must be a solid and have a crystal structure. It must also be an inorganic, naturally-occurring, homogenous substance with a defined chemical composition. The chemical composition may vary between end members of a mineral system. For example the plagioclase feldspars comprise a continuous series from sodium-rich albite (NaAlSi3O8) to calcium-rich anorthite (CaAl2Si2O8) with four recognized intermediate compositions between. Mineral-like s ...

See also:

Mineral, Mineral - Mineral definition and classification, Mineral - Minerals and rocks, Mineral - Physical properties of minerals, Mineral - Chemical properties of minerals

Read more here: » Mineral: Encyclopedia II - Mineral - Mineral definition and classification