A “mineral” is a naturally occurring inorganic solid that has a definite chemical

composition, and an ordered internal structure. They are formed through natural
processes and has a definite chemical composition. 

Minerals can be identified by their physical properties that includes:

Color: the color of the mineral.
Streak: the color of the mineral’s powder.
Luster: the way light reflects off the mineral’s surface.
Specific gravity: how heavy the mineral is relative to the same volume of water.
Cleavage: the mineral’s tendency to break along flat surfaces.
Fracture: the pattern in which a mineral break.
Hardness: what minerals it can scratch and what minerals can scratch it.

The International Mineralogical Association had recognized about 5,400 minerals as of

November 2018. Each year, about 30-50 new minerals are described and one or two
minerals are discredited last year. The Mineralogical Record published the most
complete listing of minerals in the Glossary of Mineral Species 2018 by J. Mandarino
Fleisher. He alphabetically listed the mineral’s name, formula, crystal system, and
reference. More complete descriptions of minerals are found in Handbook of
Mineralogy. Five volumes have been published. It is continuously updated online and
there are 4,529 mineral descriptions posted for free.

What are Minerals?

Article by: Hobart M. King, PhD, RPG
https://geology.com/minerals/what-is-a-mineral.shtml

https://isgs.illinois.edu/outreach/geology-resources/using-characteristics-minerals-
identify-them#:~:text=Most%20minerals%20can%20be%20characterized,cleavage%2C
%20fracture%2C%20and%20tenacity.

http://www.minsocam.org/msa/collectors_corner/faq/faqmingen.htm

Krivovichev, V.G., Charykova, M.V. Number of minerals of various chemical elements: Statistics
2012 (a new approach to an old problem). Geol. Ore Deposits 56, 553–559 (2014).
https://doi.org/10.1134/S1075701514070083