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In the context of nutrition, a mineral is a chemical element. Some "minerals" are essential for life, but most are not. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] Minerals are one of the four groups of essential nutrients; the others are vitamins , essential fatty acids , and essential amino acids . [ 4 ]
This is a list of minerals which have Wikipedia articles.. Minerals are distinguished by various chemical and physical properties. Differences in chemical composition and crystal structure distinguish the various species.
The Mohs scale of mineral hardness, based on scratch hardness comparison, defines value 1 as the hardness of talc, the softest mineral. When scraped on a streak plate , talc produces a white streak, though this indicator is of little importance, because most silicate minerals produce a white streak.
Mineral deficiency is a lack of the dietary minerals, the micronutrients that are needed for an organism's proper health. [1] The cause may be a poor diet , impaired uptake of the minerals that are consumed, or a dysfunction in the organism's use of the mineral after it is absorbed.
Mineral symbols (text abbreviations) are used to abbreviate mineral groups, subgroups, and species, just as lettered symbols are used for the chemical elements. The first set of commonly used mineral symbols was published in 1983 and covered the common rock-forming minerals using 192 two- or three-lettered symbols. [ 1 ]
The first known use of the word "mineral" in the English language (Middle English) was the 15th century. The word came from Medieval Latin: minerale, from minera, mine, ore. [44] The word "species" comes from the Latin species, "a particular sort, kind, or type with distinct look, or appearance". [45]
Phosphate minerals are minerals that contain the tetrahedrally coordinated phosphate (PO 3− 4) anion, sometimes with arsenate (AsO 3− 4) and vanadate (VO 3− 4) substitutions, along with chloride (Cl −), fluoride (F −), and hydroxide (OH −) anions, that also fit into the crystal structure.
In plants and animals, mineral absorption, also called mineral uptake is the way in which minerals enter the cellular material, typically following the same pathway as water. In plants, the entrance portal for mineral uptake is usually through the roots. Some mineral ions diffuse in-between the cells. In contrast to water, some minerals are ...