Definition: mineral

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Source: WordNet (r) 1.7

mineral
     adj 1: relating to minerals; "mineral elements"; "mineral deposits"
     2: of or containing or derived from minerals; "a mineral
        deposit"; "mineral water" [ant: animal, vegetable]
     3: composed of matter other than plant or animal; "the
        inorganic mineral world"
     n : solid homogeneous inorganic substances occurring in nature
         having a definite chemical composition

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Mineral \Min"er*al\, n. [F. min['e]ral, LL. minerale, fr. minera
   mine. See Mine, v. i.]
   1. An inorganic species or substance occurring in nature,
      having a definite chemical composition and usually a
      distinct crystalline form. Rocks, except certain glassy
      igneous forms, are either simple minerals or aggregates of
      minerals.

   2. A mine. [Obs.] --Shak.

   3. Anything which is neither animal nor vegetable, as in the
      most general classification of things into three kingdoms
      (animal, vegetable, and mineral).
Mineral \Min"er*al\, a.
   1. Of or pertaining to minerals; consisting of a mineral or
      of minerals; as, a mineral substance.

   2. Impregnated with minerals; as, mineral waters.

   Mineral acids (Chem.), inorganic acids, as sulphuric,
      nitric, phosphoric, hydrochloric, acids, etc., as
      distinguished from the organic acids.

   Mineral blue, the name usually given to azurite, when
      reduced to an impalpable powder for coloring purposes.

   Mineral candle, a candle made of paraffine.

   Mineral caoutchouc, an elastic mineral pitch, a variety of
      bitumen, resembling caoutchouc in elasticity and softness.
      See Caoutchouc, and Elaterite.

   Mineral chameleon (Chem.) See Chameleon mineral, under
      Chameleon.

   Mineral charcoal. See under Charcoal.

   Mineral cotton. See Mineral wool (below).

   Mineral green, a green carbonate of copper; malachite.

   Mineral kingdom (Nat. Sci.), that one of the three grand
      divisions of nature which embraces all inorganic objects,
      as distinguished from plants or animals.

   Mineral oil. See Naphtha, and Petroleum.

   Mineral paint, a pigment made chiefly of some natural
      mineral substance, as red or yellow iron ocher.

   Mineral patch. See Bitumen, and Asphalt.

   Mineral right, the right of taking minerals from land.

   Mineral salt (Chem.), a salt of a mineral acid.

   Mineral tallow, a familiar name for hatchettite, from its
      fatty or spermaceti-like appearance.

   Mineral water. See under Water.

   Mineral wax. See Ozocerite.

   Mineral wool, a fibrous wool-like material, made by blowing
      a powerful jet of air or steam through melted slag. It is
      a poor conductor of heat.

Source: U.S. Gazetteer (1990)

Mineral, CA
  Zip code(s): 96063
Mineral, IL (village, FIPS 49516)
  Location: 41.38189 N, 89.83647 W
  Population (1990): 250 (106 housing units)
  Area: 0.8 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
  Zip code(s): 61344
Mineral, VA (town, FIPS 52120)
  Location: 38.00727 N, 77.90659 W
  Population (1990): 471 (202 housing units)
  Area: 2.3 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
  Zip code(s): 23117
Mineral, WA
  Zip code(s): 98355