<p>A <strong><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal" rel="nofollow noreferrer">crystal</a></strong>,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>is a solid material whose constituents (such as atoms, molecules, or ions) are arranged in a highly ordered microscopic structure, forming a crystal lattice that extends in all directions.</p>
<p>Microscopically, a single crystal has atoms in a near-perfect periodic arrangement; a polycrystal is composed of many microscopic crystals (called &quot;crystallites&quot; or &quot;grains&quot;); and an amorphous solid (such as glass) has no periodic arrangement even microscopically.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/kiled.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/kiled.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>Examples of crystals include diamond (C), table salt (NaCl), snow and ice (H<sub>2</sub>O) and chalcopyrite (CuFeS<sub>2</sub>).</p>
<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Minerals</a> however,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>a solid chemical compound with a fairly well-defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure that occurs naturally in pure form.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The international Mineralogical Association requirements for classification minerals are:</p>
<ol>
<li>It must be a naturally occurring substance formed by natural
geological processes, on Earth or other extraterrestrial bodies.</li>
<li>It must be a solid substance in its natural occurrence. A major
exception to this rule is native mercury.</li>
<li>It must have a well-defined crystallographic structure; or, more
generally, an ordered atomic arrangement.</li>
<li>It must have a fairly well defined chemical composition. However,
certain crystalline substances with a fixed structure but variable
composition may be considered single mineral species.</li>
</ol>
<p>Consequently, snow and ice are crystals but they are not minerals.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-01-17T23:04:36.520Z
Ice is actually a mineral, approved by the IMA: https://www.mindat.org/min-2001.html although somewhat polarising because a lot of mineralogists don't consider it as a "real" mineral 
Gimelist
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-01-23T00:13:53.507Z
Every academic mineralogist/petrologist I've known considers ice a mineral; especially given it's importance in planetary geology.
Knob Scratcher
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-01-16T17:55:28.550Z
2022-01-16T17:55:28.550Z
Fred
<p>What is the exact difference between a crystal and a mineral?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-01-16T22:42:49.400Z
Almost all minerals are crystals. Not all crystals are minerals. Quartz is both. Sugar is a crystal, but not a mineral.
Gimelist
<geology><mineralogy><crystallography>
Difference between crystal and mineral
Jithin Murali
# Difference between crystal and mineral

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-01-16)

What is the exact difference between a crystal and a mineral?

**Tags:** geology, mineralogy, crystallography

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Almost all minerals are crystals. Not all crystals are minerals. Quartz is both. Sugar is a crystal, but not a mineral.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2022-01-16. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

A **[crystal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal)**,

> is a solid material whose constituents (such as atoms, molecules, or ions) are arranged in a highly ordered microscopic structure, forming a crystal lattice that extends in all directions.
>
> Microscopically, a single crystal has atoms in a near-perfect periodic arrangement; a polycrystal is composed of many microscopic crystals (called "crystallites" or "grains"); and an amorphous solid (such as glass) has no periodic arrangement even microscopically.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/kiled.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/kiled.png)

Examples of crystals include diamond (C), table salt (NaCl), snow and ice (H2O) and chalcopyrite (CuFeS2).

[Minerals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral) however,

> a solid chemical compound with a fairly well-defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure that occurs naturally in pure form.

The international Mineralogical Association requirements for classification minerals are:

1. It must be a naturally occurring substance formed by natural
   geological processes, on Earth or other extraterrestrial bodies.
2. It must be a solid substance in its natural occurrence. A major
   exception to this rule is native mercury.
3. It must have a well-defined crystallographic structure; or, more
   generally, an ordered atomic arrangement.
4. It must have a fairly well defined chemical composition. However,
   certain crystalline substances with a fixed structure but variable
   composition may be considered single mineral species.

Consequently, snow and ice are crystals but they are not minerals.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Ice is actually a mineral, approved by the IMA: https://www.mindat.org/min-2001.html although somewhat polarising because a lot of mineralogists don't consider it as a "real" mineral   
> **username_3**: Every academic mineralogist/petrologist I've known considers ice a mineral; especially given it's importance in planetary geology.  

---

