Here's why:

* Soil: Soil is a complex mixture of minerals, organic matter, air, and water. It is essential for plant growth, which in turn supports the food chain. Soil takes a long time to form and is a finite resource.

* Water: Water is essential for all life on Earth. It is used for drinking, agriculture, industry, and transportation. While water is a renewable resource through the water cycle, clean water is becoming increasingly scarce in many parts of the world.

* Minerals: Minerals are naturally occurring inorganic substances with a defined chemical composition and crystal structure. They are used in numerous industrial processes, construction, and manufacturing. Many minerals are finite resources and can take millions of years to form.

* Animals: Animals provide us with food, clothing, transportation, and other products. They also play a vital role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. However, overexploitation and habitat destruction are threatening many animal species.

Therefore, these resources are all considered natural because they occur naturally in the environment and are not created by humans. They are also resources because they are valuable and useful to humans.