What is the only mineral that is directly consumed by man?

Oakleigh53

Salt Oct 08 07, 4:39 PM

MonkeyOnALeash

What about KCl? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_substitute Salt is NOT a Mineral. It is a class of compounds...... http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt But....Table salt is! Just being precise. Oct 08 07, 4:48 PM

lanfranco

There are various dietary minerals, calcium being one of the most important: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietary_mineral Oct 08 07, 4:50 PM

pennie1478

Don't forget iron Oct 08 07, 5:50 PM

satguru

You can also eat carbon as charcoal, or even in the case of pregnant women, coal. Charcoal is a great stomach cleanser and although usually ground into biscuits or tablets could probably be eaten as it is with the same effects. Chalk is also used in stomach remedies such as milk of magnesia as an antacid. Oct 08 07, 7:19 PM

queproblema

The only mineral generally eaten in its easily recognized mineral form by most people on a "normal" diet is salt. Of course most of us eat it in a processed form, not as halite. "Salt is an edible mineral used as a flavor enhancer and preservative for food,..." This does not include the ingestion of mineral supplements or the invisible minerals present in the foods we eat. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_%28disambiguation%29 Wiki has numerous articles--a veritable "mine"!--on halite, sodium chloride, salt in chemistry, edible salt, etc., all available for the perusal of any seeker. Oct 09 07, 6:22 AM

Arpeggionist

Although, one can eat table salt at its purest. One can go to the Dead Sea (for example), and eat the salt directly off the rocks down there. It might taste a little irregular, but it doesn't actually have any lasting effects (I know this from experience). Oct 09 07, 8:11 AM

Baloo55th

Iron is not directly consumed, unless you have a strange habit of ingesting iron filings (not recommended even in anaemia). Carbon is an element, found in mineral form as graphite, diamond and coal. None of which form a normal part of the human diet (exceptions include pregnancy and smuggling - burnt toast is not a mineral...). Salt in its normal (non-scientific) meaning is consumed directly. The purification or otherwise is irrelevant. Potassium chloride isn't so much a mineral as a chemical. All minerals contain chemicals, but not all chemicals are minerals. Not all salt comes from 'mineral' sources, however. I use Maldon sea salt rather than mined salt. The mined salt is definitely a mineral. Is the sea salt? Oct 09 07, 4:16 PM

queproblema

"Salt is the only mineral that people eat;" http://geology.about.com/od/salt/a/aboutsalt.htm The article goes on to tell "The Truth About Sea Salt." We can get into technicalities here with the nuances of the definitions of "salt" and "mineral," but for all common purposes, sea salt is a mineral. Building evaporating pools, harvesting, and packing sea salt are tantamount to mining. Oct 09 07, 4:43 PM