Minerals are an indispensable part of our lives. . Almost everything we use, from a tiny pin to a towering building or a big ship, all are made from minerals. . The railway lines and the tarmac (paving) of the roads, our implements and machinery too are made from minerals. . Cars, buses, trains, aeroplanes are manufactured from minerals and run on power resources derived from the earth. . Even the food that we eat contains minerals. . In all stages of development, human beings have used minerals for their livelihood, decoration, festivities, religious and ceremonial rites.