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  • Mineral Characteristics: Defining Properties of Rocks' Building Blocks
    It's important to understand that rocks are not minerals. Rocks are made up of minerals, which are naturally occurring, solid substances with a defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure.

    Here are the five characteristics that define a mineral:

    1. Naturally occurring: Minerals form through geological processes, not artificial creation.

    2. Solid: Minerals are rigid and have a definite shape and volume.

    3. Inorganic: Minerals are not derived from living organisms.

    4. Definite chemical composition: Each mineral has a specific chemical formula, with consistent ratios of elements.

    5. Ordered internal structure: Minerals have a regular, repeating arrangement of atoms, forming a crystal lattice.

    Therefore, a rock cannot be classified as a mineral. Instead, rocks are aggregates of one or more minerals (like granite, which is made of quartz, feldspar, and mica) or non-mineral materials (like coal, which is made from organic matter).

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