Modern scientists study mineralogy for many reasons. First, and most important, minerals are the building blocks of all rocks. Thus, knowledge of minerals can be tied to the understanding of Earth and other planets (and satellites) of the solar system.

Second, many minerals are of great economic value, including in industry, health care, and even in the politics of various countries. And finally, almost all aspects of geology are essentially tied to mineralogy-from geophysics (a rock’s properties are definitely associated with the minerals within the rock) to geochemistry (the properties of chemical reactions with minerals).