Nonmineral
From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.
A Nonmineral (Mineralogy) is a substance found in a natural environment that does not satisfy the definition of a Mineral and is not even a Mineraloid. Many nonminerals are mined and have industrial or other uses similar to minerals, such as jewelry. Other alleged minerals, such as dilithium, are merely fictional artifacts.
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Mineral definition
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.
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Common Nonminerals
- Allingite, another name for amber.
- Amber, organic, non-crystal structure.
- Anthracite, a variety of coal, "hard coal."
- Beckerite, another name for amber.
- Burmite, another name for amber.
- Coal, organic, nonhomogenous, and non-crystal structure.
- Coprolite, fossilized feces, a fossil of organic origin.
- Coquina, nonhomogenous, non-crystal structure.
- Gedanite, another name for amber.
- Glessite, another name for amber.
- Jet, not considered a true mineral due to organic, non-crystal nature, a mineraloid.
- Krantzite, another name for amber.
- Lignite, a variety of coal, "Brown coal."
- Obsidian, usually not considered a mineral due to non-crystal structure.
- Opal, non-crystal structure, a mineraloid.
- Pearl, often considered a mineral due to crystal components, but then not a mineral due to organic origin, probably should be a mineraloid.
- Petroleum, organic and liquid.
- Rocks, most rocks are mixtures of minerals, but a few are composed of just one mineral.
- pyrobitumen, organic, nonhomogeous, non-crystal structure.
- Stantienite, another name for amber.
- Synthetic diamond, not naturally occurring like most other synthetic gems, but difficult to distinguish from naturally occurring forms.
- Vulcanite, vulcanized natural or synthetic rubber, thus not a mineral due to organic composition, lack of crystal structure, and not naturally occurring.
- Water, a liquid (but naturally occurring ice is a mineral).
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Other considerations
Some minerals, such as the well-known Apatite and Mica, are not homogenous substances, but are a mixture of related minerals, sometimes referred to as a mineral group.
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