The foundation of a house is made from limestone, clay, shale, gypsum, and aggregate.
To maintain our same living standard, every person in the United States needs over 48 thousand pounds of minerals every year.
There are poisonous minerals. One of the most poisonous is thallium. It's often called the "dark twin" of lead. Skin contact can lead to serious illness, loss of hair, and in many cases, death.
Scientists guess that there are more than three thousand minerals spreading on the earth. Most of these minerals haven't been identified yet.
The most common mineral found in the earth is quartz.
The first mineral found that was recorded was a unique kind of turquoise, discovered in ancient Mesopotamia. They also mined jade to make tools and weapons.