Mineral

Minerals are natural, inorganic, solid compounds with a regularly ordered crystalline structure. Rock is a naturally occurring solid substance composed of minerals. All mineral names, with only a few exceptions, end with the suffix -ite or -ine. Mining is the process of extracting minerals from objects like planets and asteroids. Furthermore, several planets are sources of minerals in the Federation including Earth, Janus VI, Ardana, Capella IV, Coridan, and Elas. 

Notable minerals

 * The benamite crystals could be use to construct an advanced quantum slipstream drive.


 * Boronite is a rare mineral ore which was used in the synthesis of Omega molecules.


 * Gallicite can produce strong electrical currents when metal objects are held nearby.


 * The key component of the Xindi superweapon was the mineral kemocite.


 * Janus VI was an important Federation source of pergium used to generate energy.


 * The only known cure for Rigelian fever was the rare mineral ryetalyn.


 * Capella IV was a rich source of the rare mineral topaline.


 * Trellium is a mineral that was used as insulation against anomalies by ships in the Delphic Expanse.


 * Uridium is an unstable mineral that was used in Cardassian ship construction.


 * In 2269, the only known source of the mineral zenite was the planet Ardana.

Mineral life
Some lifeforms were mineral-based, such as the Crystalline Entity, the Excalbians, the Horta, the microbrain, the silicon-based lifeform, and the Tholians.