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  • Identifying Non-Minerals: Understanding Mineral Characteristics
    Here's how to figure out what wouldn't be a mineral:

    The Defining Characteristics of Minerals:

    * Naturally Occurring: Formed by natural processes, not man-made.

    * Inorganic: Not derived from living organisms.

    * Solid: Has a definite shape and volume.

    * Crystalline Structure: Atoms are arranged in a specific, repeating pattern.

    * Definite Chemical Composition: A consistent chemical formula (with some exceptions).

    Examples of things that are NOT minerals:

    * Sugar: Organic (made by plants)

    * Plastic: Man-made

    * Water: Liquid (not solid)

    * Glass: Amorphous (lacks a crystalline structure)

    Let me know if you have a specific example you'd like me to analyze!

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