There are abt. 5,300 different minerals. Depending on their chemical composition and structure the minerals have different mechanical properties like density, hardness, fissility and facture behaviour or toughness. Further properties are, among others, electrical conductivity or magnetism. Chemical properties are important for the so-called industrial minerals, as for example flame coloration, fusibility or reaction with acid. Smell and flavour characteristics are important for the food industry.
Many other industries use minerals, such as the ceramic, optical or cosmetic industry, the building material or paper industry as well as mechanical or electrical engineering or geotechnics. Industrial minerals are among others barite, fluorite, quartz, feldspar and graphite, bentonite, calcium carbonate, clay, phosphate, talcum and titanium dioxide.