*mineral*

n. [ F. minéral, LL. minerale, fr. minera mine. See Mine, v. i. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A mine. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Anything which is neither animal nor vegetable, as in the most general classification of things into three kingdoms (animal, vegetable, and mineral). [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Of or pertaining to minerals; consisting of a mineral or of minerals; as, a mineral substance. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Impregnated with minerals; as, mineral waters. [ 1913 Webster ]

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 paraffin. --
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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. minéraliste. ] One versed in minerals; mineralogist. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. minéralisation. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The process of mineralizing, or forming a mineral by combination of a metal with another element; also, the process of converting into a mineral, as a bone or a plant. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of impregnating with a mineral, as water. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Bot.) The conversion of a cell wall into a material of a stony nature. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To go on an excursion for observing and collecting minerals; to mineralogize. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Mineralized p. pr. & vb. n. Mineralizing ] [ Cf. F. minéraliser. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To transform into a mineral. [ 1913 Webster ]

In these caverns the bones are not mineralized. Buckland. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To impregnate with a mineral; as, mineralized water. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To charge or impregnate with ore. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

adj. 1. containing or impregnated with minerals; as, mineralized water; red stains that signify mineralized land. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. converted into a mineral.
Syn. -- petrified. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. An element which is combined with a metal, thus forming an ore. Thus, in galena, or lead ore, sulphur is a mineralizer; in hematite, oxygen is a mineralizer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. minéralogique. See Mineralogy. ] Of or pertaining to mineralogy; as, a mineralogical table. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. According to the principles of, or with reference to, mineralogy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. minéralogiste. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. One versed in mineralogy; one devoted to the study of minerals. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) A carrier shell (Phorus). [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To study mineralogy by collecting and examining minerals. Miss Edgeworth. [ 1913 Webster ]