Mineral

A mineral is a naturally-occurring solid material (like a rock) made from different kinds of atoms and molecules that join together in a crystal pattern. Minerals are all around us - in the ground, in the air, and in the rocks we see and touch every day. They come in different shapes, colours and sizes. Minerals are important because they form the basis of the rocks in the Earth’s crust, which make up the surface of the Earth. The rocks give us soil, which helps plants to grow, and they provide us with many of the metals and materials we use in everyday life.