<p>The study of minerals is the field "mineralogy" In some ways it would be a subset of inorganic chemistry, restricted to crystaline materials of natural origin. However, mineralogy includes the physical as well as chemical properties, especially crystallography, X-Ray diffraction and optical properties. It also includes aspects of how the minerals were formed in nature. Minerals also may be named by their chemical formula, but some chemicals have different crystal forms so two minerals can have the same formula. For example the minerals calcite and aragonite are forms of calcium carbonate, <span class="math-container">$\ce{CaCO_3}$</span>. So you may need to broaden your search in pubmed and they may not include data for all minerals.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-02T13:33:12.110Z
To add crystal form is often more important, most minerals are silicates, which would have identical chemical formulas. It is like how the chemical formula for diamond and graphite would be the same but they have radically different properties due entirely to arrangement of the bonds. .
John
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-01T21:40:16.700Z
2018-11-06T05:18:32.763Z
2018-11-06T05:18:32.763Z
haresfur
<p>I am wondering what field studies "minerals", such as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minerals" rel="noreferrer">minerals in Wikipedia's list</a>. I keep thinking that perhaps it would be covered in inorganic chemistry (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_inorganic_compounds" rel="noreferrer">list of inorganic compounds wiki</a>), but for example the mineral "Abelsonite" is not in the inorganic list, though it does seem to have a chemical formula, C₃₁H₃₂N₄Ni. I am not sure where the boundary is between "minerals" and "inorganic molecules".</p>

<p>I would like to know so that in terms of data, if pubmed lists the data for inorganic compounds, then perhaps it also includes the data on minerals. But if the two fields are separate (mineralogy and inorganic chemistry), then perhaps the data for each is treated separately as well.</p>

<geochemistry><mineralogy><open-data>
If the study of "minerals" is covered by inorganic chemistry
Lance Pollard
# If the study of "minerals" is covered by inorganic chemistry

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-11-01)

I am wondering what field studies "minerals", such as the [minerals in Wikipedia's list](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minerals). I keep thinking that perhaps it would be covered in inorganic chemistry ([list of inorganic compounds wiki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_inorganic_compounds)), but for example the mineral "Abelsonite" is not in the inorganic list, though it does seem to have a chemical formula, C₃₁H₃₂N₄Ni. I am not sure where the boundary is between "minerals" and "inorganic molecules".

I would like to know so that in terms of data, if pubmed lists the data for inorganic compounds, then perhaps it also includes the data on minerals. But if the two fields are separate (mineralogy and inorganic chemistry), then perhaps the data for each is treated separately as well.

**Tags:** geochemistry, mineralogy, open-data


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2018-11-01. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

The study of minerals is the field "mineralogy" In some ways it would be a subset of inorganic chemistry, restricted to crystaline materials of natural origin. However, mineralogy includes the physical as well as chemical properties, especially crystallography, X-Ray diffraction and optical properties. It also includes aspects of how the minerals were formed in nature. Minerals also may be named by their chemical formula, but some chemicals have different crystal forms so two minerals can have the same formula. For example the minerals calcite and aragonite are forms of calcium carbonate, $\ce{CaCO\_3}$. So you may need to broaden your search in pubmed and they may not include data for all minerals.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: To add crystal form is often more important, most minerals are silicates, which would have identical chemical formulas. It is like how the chemical formula for diamond and graphite would be the same but they have radically different properties due entirely to arrangement of the bonds. .  

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