Minerals are naturally occurring, inorganic solids with a definite chemical composition and a crystal lattice structure. Here are the key characteristics of minerals:

• Naturally Occurring: Minerals always occur in nature.

• Inorganic: Minerals are not formed by living organisms.

• Solid: Minerals exist only as solids, a state of matter that possesses a high amount of order.

• Definite Chemical Composition: Each mineral has a unique chemical composition.

• Crystal Structure: Minerals have a crystal structure and form crystals that contain repeated arrangements of atoms or ions.

• Physical Properties: Minerals can be identified by their physical characteristics, such as color, hardness, luster, crystal forms, density, and cleavage.

• Not a Mixture: Minerals are not mixtures of different substances.

• Not a Mineraloid: Minerals are not mineraloids, which are substances that may look like minerals but do not satisfy all the requirements for being so.

• Not a Liquid or Gas: Minerals cannot be liquids or gases.

• Rigid Structure: The structures of minerals are rigid, meaning that the particles within the mineral dont move around.

• Silicate: The largest group of minerals contains some form of silicate, a combination of silicon and oxygen atoms.

• Color: Color is readily observable and certainly obvious, but it i...