mineral
Other forms: minerals
A mineral is a nonliving natural substance of a definite chemical composition. A mineral like manganese may help keep you healthy; a mineral like a diamond may help keep you sparkly.
At one time mineral referred to valuable substances obtained in mines. Although that still can be the case, today the word has several senses (both noun and adjective) and may be found almost anywhere — in the ground, in the air, or on the periodic table. And if you remember mineral when you remember animal and vegetable, you’ve got a better chance of winning Twenty Questions.
Definitions of mineral
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solid homogeneous inorganic substances occurring in nature having a definite chemical compositiontypes:ader wax, earth wax, mineral wax, ozocerite, ozokeritea waxy mineral that is a mixture of hydrocarbons and occurs in association with petroleum; some varieties are used in making ceresin and candlesamblygonitea white or grey mineral consisting of lithium aluminum phosphate; a source of lithiumamphibolea mineral or mineral variety belonging to the amphibole groupamphibole groupa group of minerals with similar crystal structures containing a silicate chain and combinations of chiefly sodium and calcium and magnesium and iron and aluminumapatitea common complex mineral consisting of calcium fluoride phosphate or calcium chloride phosphate; a source of phosphorusaragonitea mineral form of crystalline calcium carbonate; dimorphic with calciteargentitea valuable silver ore consisting of silver sulfide (Ag2S)argyroditea rare steel-grey mineral consisting of silver and germanium and sulfurasphalt, mineral pitcha dark bituminous substance found in natural beds and as residue from petroleum distillation; consists mainly of hydrocarbonsaugitedark-green to black glassy mineral of the pyroxene group containing large amounts of aluminum and iron and magnesiumbaddeleyitea mineral consisting of zirconium oxidebauxitea clay-like mineral; the chief ore of aluminum; composed of aluminum oxides and aluminum hydroxides; used as an abrasive and catalystberylthe chief source of beryllium; colored transparent varieties are valued as gemsboraxan ore of boron consisting of hydrated sodium borate; used as a flux or cleansing agentbornite, peacock orea mineral consisting of sulfides of copper and iron that is found in copper depositscarnallitea white or reddish mineral consisting of hydrous chlorides of potassium and magnesium; used as a fertilizer and as a source of potassium and magnesiumcassiteritea hard heavy dark mineral that is the chief source of tincelestitea mineral consisting of strontium sulphatecerussite, white lead orea mineral consisting of lead carbonate that is an important source of leadchloritea generally green or black mineral; it occurs as a constituent of many rocks typically in the form of a flat crystalchromitea brownish-black mineral; the major source of chromiumchrysoberyla rare hard yellow green mineral consisting of beryllium aluminate in crystal form; used as a gemstonecinnabara heavy reddish mineral consisting of mercuric sulfide; the chief source of mercurycobaltitea rare silvery-white mineral; important ore of cobaltcoltan, columbite-tantalitea valuable black mineral combining niobite and tantalite; used in cell phones and computer chipscordieritea blue mineral of magnesium and iron and aluminum and silicon and oxygen; often used as a gemstonecristobalitea white mineral consisting of silica; found in volcanic rockscrocolitea rare lead chromite mineral that forms bright orange crystalsGreenland spar, cryolitea white mineral consisting of fluorides of aluminum and sodium; a source of fluorinecupritea mineral consisting of cuprous oxide that is a source of copperbitter spar, dolomitea light colored mineral consisting of calcium magnesium carbonate; a source of magnesium; used as a ceramic and as fertilizerearth colora colored mineral used as a pigmentemerya hard grey-black mineral consisting of corundum and either hematite or magnetite; used as an abrasive (especially as a coating on paper)cobalt bloom, erythritea reddish mineral consisting of hydrated cobalt arsenate in monoclinic crystalline form and used in coloring glass; usually found in veins bearing cobalt and arsenicfergusonitea dark mineral consisting of oxides of yttrium and erbium and tantalum and other mineralsfluor, fluorite, fluorspara soft mineral (calcium fluoride) that is fluorescent in ultraviolet light; chief source of fluorinegadolinite, ytterbitea mineral that is a source of rare earths; consists of silicates of iron and beryllium and cerium and yttrium and erbiumgalenasoft blue-grey mineral; lead sulfide; a major source of leadgarnetany of a group of hard glassy minerals (silicates of various metals) used as gemstones and as an abrasivegarnieritea green mineral consisting of hydrated nickel magnesium silicate; a source of nickelgermanitea rare reddish-grey mineral consisting of a copper iron germanium sulfidegibbsitewhite crystalline mineral consisting of aluminum hydroxide; a constituent of bauxite and a source of aluminaglauconitea green mineral consisting of hydrated silicate of potassium or iron or magnesium or aluminum; found in greensandcadmium sulphide, greenockiteore of cadmium; a rare yellowish mineral consisting of cadmium sulphide in crystalline formgypsuma common white or colorless mineral (hydrated calcium sulphate) used to make cements and plasters (especially plaster of Paris)hausmannitea mineral consisting of manganese tetroxide; a source of manganesebarite, barium sulphate, barytes, heavy spara white or colorless mineral (BaSO4); the main source of bariumilmenitea weakly magnetic black mineral found in metamorphic and plutonic rocks; an iron titanium oxide in crystalline form; a source of titaniumjadeitea hard green mineral consisting of sodium aluminum silicate in monoclinic crystalline form; a source of jade; found principally in Burmakainitea white mineral consisting of magnesium sulphate and potassium chloride; a source of potassium salts; used as a fertilizerkaolinitea mineral consisting of aluminum silicate; main source of kaolinkernitea light soft mineral consisting of hydrated sodium borate in crystalline form; an important source of boronkieseritea white mineral consisting of hydrous magnesium sulfate often found in salt minescyanite, kyanitea grey or greenish-blue mineral consisting of aluminum silicate in crystalline form; occurs in metaphoric rock, used as a refractorylangbeinitea mineral consisting of potassium magnesium double sulphate; used as a fertilizermagnesitea white mineral consisting of magnesium carbonate; a source of magnesiummalachitea green mineral used for jewelry, ornaments, and copper oremanganitea black mineral consisting of basic manganese oxide; a source of manganeseisinglass, micaany of various minerals consisting of hydrous silicates of aluminum or potassium etc. that crystallize in forms that allow perfect cleavage into very thin leaves; used as dielectrics because of their resistance to electricitymilleritea yellow mineral consisting of nickel sulfide; a minor source of nickelmolybdenitea mineral resembling graphite that is valued as the chief source of molybdenum and its compoundsmonazitea reddish-brown mineral containing rare earth metals; an important source of thorium and ceriumnepheline, nephelitea whitish mineral consisting of sodium aluminum silicate or potassium aluminum silicate in crystalline form; used in the manufacture of ceramics and enamelsnephelinitean igneous rock consisting of nepheline and pyroxenenitrocalcitethe mineral form of calcium nitrateolivinea mineral consisting of magnesium iron silicate; a source of magnesiumoliveniterare green to black mineral consisting of hydrated copper arsenate that is found in copper depositsopala translucent mineral consisting of hydrated silica of variable color; some varieties are used as gemstonesorea mineral that contains metal that is valuable enough to be minedorpimenta yellow mineral occurring in conjunction with realgar; an ore of arseniciridosmine, osmiridiuma hard and corrosion resistant mineral that is a natural alloy of osmium and iridium (usually containing small amounts of rhodium and platinum); used in needles and pen nibs etc.pentlanditea mineral (iron and nickel sulphide) that is the chief ore of nickelmagnesia, magnesium oxide, periclasea white solid mineral that occurs naturally as periclase; a source of magnesiumpinitegrey or green or brown mineral similar to mica and containing aluminum and potassium sulphatespollucitea rare mineral that is an important source of cesiumpsilomelanea mineral consisting of hydrated basic oxide of manganese and barium; a source of manganesepyrolusitea mineral consisting of manganese dioxide; an important source of manganesegreen lead ore, pyromorphitea mineral consisting of lead chloride and phosphate; a minor source of leadpyrophyllitea white or greenish aluminum silicate mineral (resembles talc)pyroxeneany of a group of crystalline silicate mineral common in igneous and metamorphic rocksmagnetic pyrites, pyrrhotine, pyrrhotitea brownish iron sulfide mineral (FeS) having weak magnetic propertiesquartza hard glossy mineral consisting of silicon dioxide in crystal form; present in most rocks (especially sandstone and granite); yellow sand is quartz with iron oxide impuritiesrealgara rare soft orange mineral consisting of arsenic sulphide; an important ore of arsenicred clayclay whose redness results from iron oxiderhodochrositea mineral consisting of manganese carbonate; a source of manganeserhodonitea pink or red mineral consisting of crystalline manganese silicate; used as an ornamental stonerutilea mineral consisting of titanium dioxide in crystalline form; occurs in metamorphic and plutonic rocks and is a major source of titaniumsamarskitea complex black mineral occurring in pegmatitessapphirinea rare light blue or green mineral; consists of aluminum and magnesium silicate and occurs as small grains in some metamorphic rocksscheelitea mineral used as an ore of tungstensmaltitea grey mineral consisting of cobalt arsenide and nickel; an important source of cobalt and nickelsodalitea vitreous mineral consisting of sodium aluminum silicate and sodium chloride in crystalline form; occurs in igneous rockssparany of various nonmetallic minerals (calcite or feldspar) that are light in color and transparent or translucent and cleavablespinela hard glassy mineral consisting of an oxide of magnesium and aluminum; occurs in various colors that are used as gemstonesspodumenea pyroxene mineral consisting of lithium aluminum silicate; a source of lithiumstibnitea soft grey mineral; the chief ore of antimonystrontianitea mineral consisting of strontium carbonategraphic tellurium, sylvanitea silver-white mineral consisting of silver gold telluride; a source of gold in Australia and Americasylvine, sylvitea mineral consisting of native potassium chloride; an important ore of potassium that is found in sedimentary bedstalc, talcuma fine grained mineral having a soft soapy feel and consisting of hydrated magnesium silicate; used in a variety of products including talcum powdertantalitea mineral consisting of tantalum oxide of iron and manganese that occurs with niobite or in coarse granite; an ore of tantalumthoritea radioactive mineral consisting of thorium silicate; it is a source of thorium that is found in coarse granitethortveititea mineral consisting of scandium yttrium silicate; a source of scandiumtopaza mineral (fluosilicate of aluminum) that occurs in crystals of various colors and is used as a gemstonetourmalinea mineral that is a complex borosilicate and hydroxide of aluminum containing iron and magnesium and calcium and lithium and sodium; it is usually black but occurs in transparent colored forms that are used as gemstonestridymitea mineral form of silicaturquoisea blue to grayish-green mineral consisting of copper aluminum phosphatevanadinitea mineral consisting of chloride and vanadate of lead; a source of vanadiumvermiculiteany of a group of yellow or brown hydrous silicate minerals having a micaceous structureidocrase, vesuvian, vesuvianitea green or yellow or brown mineral consisting of a hydrated silicate; it occurs as crystals in limestone and is used a gemstoneiron manganese tungsten, wolframitea mineral consisting of iron and manganese tungstate in crystalline form; the principal ore of tungsten; found in quartz veins associated with granitic rockswollastonitea white or greyish mineral typically found in metamorphic limestone; a silicate of calciumwulfenitea yellow to orange or brown mineral used as a molybdenum orewurtzitea brownish-black mineral consisting of zinc sulfidexenotimea brown-to-yellow mineral that is a phosphate of yttrium in crystalline formzeoliteany of a family of glassy minerals analogous to feldspar containing hydrated aluminum silicates of calcium or sodium or potassium; formed in cavities in lava flows and in plutonic rocksblende, sphalerite, zinc blendean ore that is the chief source of zinc; consists largely of zinc sulfide in crystalline formzinkenitea steel grey metallic mineral (a sulphide of lead and antimony)zircon, zirconium silicatea common mineral occurring in small crystals; chief source of zirconium; used as a refractory when opaque and as a gem when transparentquartz crystala thin plate or small rod of quartz cut along certain lines and ground so that it can produce an electric signal at a constant frequency; used in crystal oscillatorsalabastera compact fine-textured, usually white gypsum used for carvingazuriteblue carbonate of copper; blue malachitebiotitedark brown to black mica found in igneous and metamorphic rockfluorapatitea form of apatite in which fluorine predominates over chlorinegessogypsum or plaster of Paris spread on a surface to make it suitable for painting or gilding (or a surface so prepared)lepidolitea mineral of the mica group; an important source of lithiummuscovitea colorless or pale brown mica with potassiumnephritean amphibole mineral consisting of calcium magnesium silicate in monoclinic crystalline form; a source of jade that is less valuable than from jadeite; once believed to cure kidney disordersparagonitea colorless or pale brown mica with sodiumphlogopitea brown form of mica consisting of hydrous silicate of potassium and magnesium and aluminumalexandritea green variety of chrysoberyl used as a gemstoneamethysta transparent purple variety of quartz; used as a gemstoneactinolitea green mineral of the amphibole group; calcium magnesium iron silicateanthophyllitea dark brown mineral of the amphibole group; magnesium iron silicateasbestosa fibrous amphibole; used for making fireproof articles; inhaling fibers can cause asbestosis or lung cancerhornblendea green to black mineral of the amphibole group; consists of silicates of calcium and sodium and magnesium and ironaquamarinea transparent, light blue or bluish-green variety of the mineral beryl, used as a gemstoneblack opala dark colored opal with internal reflections of green or redchrysolitea brown or yellow-green olivine found in igneous and metamorphic rocks and used as a gemstonecitrinesemiprecious yellow quartz resembling topazalumina, aluminium oxide, aluminum oxideany of various forms of aluminum oxide occurring naturally as corundumandraditea garnet consisting of calcium iron silicate and having any color ranging from yellow and green to brown and black; used as gemstoneconcentrate, dressed orethe desired mineral that is left after impurities have been removed from mined oresiennaan earth color containing ferric oxides; used as a pigmentocher, ochreany of various earths containing silica and alumina and ferric oxide; used as a pigmentemeralda green transparent form of beryl; highly valued as a gemstonefeldspar, felsparany of a group of hard crystalline minerals that consist of aluminum silicates of potassium or sodium or calcium or bariumcarbuncledeep-red cabochon garnet cut without facetsterra albafinely pulverized gypsum used especially as a pigmentharlequin opala reddish opal with small patches of brilliant coloriron orean ore from which iron can be extractedkunzitea pinkish lilac crystal form of the mineral spodumene that is used as a gemstonelead oreore containing leadcalcitea common mineral consisting of crystallized calcium carbonate; a major constituent of limestonemorganitea kind of pink beryl used as a gemstonepay dirtore that yields a substantial profit to the minerpyropea deep red garnet used as a gemstonerhodolitea red or pink variety of garnet used as a gemstonerose quartza translucent rose-red variety of quartz used for ornamentsrubya transparent deep red variety of corundum; used as a gemstone and in laserswater sapphirea deep blue cordierite often used as a gemstonesapphirea precious transparent stone of corundum, typically a rich blue, valued as a gemstoneschorlblack tourmalinesoap-rock, soaprock, soapstone, steatitea soft heavy compact variety of talc having a soapy feel; used to make hearths and tabletops and ornamentshiddenitea green transparent form of the mineral spodumene used as a gemstoneFrench chalka soft white compact talc used to mark cloth or to remove grease stainsrensselaeritea kind of soft talc; sometimes used as wood fillerumberan earth pigmenturanium oreany ore from which uranium can be extractedchabasite, chabazitea group of minerals of the zeolite family consisting of a hydrous silicate of calcium and aluminumheulanditea group of minerals of the zeolite family consisting of a hydrous aluminum silicate of sodium and calciumnatrolitea group of minerals of the zeolite family consisting of a hydrous silicate of sodium and aluminumphillipsitea group of white or reddish crystalline minerals of the zeolite family consisting of a hydrous silicate of calcium and potassium and aluminumzinnwalditea mica containing iron and lithium
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relating to minerals“mineral elements”“mineral deposits”
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composed of matter other than plant or animal“the inorganic mineral world”synonyms:inorganiclacking the properties characteristic of living organisms
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