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What’s a
mineral
? That’s a good question. Gold is a mineral.
So is a diamond. But what exactly does that mean?
A mineral is a natural solid material. But it’s not alive.
And it never has been.
Believe it or not, a mineral has something in common with
chocolate chip cookies. These cookie favorites always contain
the same mix of ingredients. Minerals do, too.
The atoms that make up amineral have something in common
with the twelve eggs in a carton. The eggs are always arranged in
the same pattern. So are the atoms. That means every sample of
a mineral, such as gold, looks exactly the same—both inside and
out.
Gold is always made of gold atoms. Diamond is always made
of carbon atoms. But most minerals contain two or more atoms.
Quartz contains two atoms—silicon and oxygen.
Minerals Matter
