Graphite is used to make pencils. Slate is used to make blackboards and patios. Limestone is used to make chalk. We use graphite and slate to make fireplaces. Coal is used to heat homes. Cobalt is used for making super alloys for jet engines, chemicals, and much more. Fluorite is use in your favorite toothpaste as is limestone and calcium carbonate. Gold is used in dentistry, medicine, jewelry, and art. Gypsum is used in the manufacture of sheetrock. Halite is used in human and animal diet food.  Pyrite is used in the manufacture of sulfur, sulfuric acid, and sulfur dioxide. Sulfur is  necessary to grow our food. Zinc is used in making nails and roofing. Silica sand, talc, feldspar and soda ash are used in glass and ceramics. They can also be found in insulation and paint. We use granite in monuments as well as kitchen countertops and even tombstones. Polishing materials are made from pumice. Volcanic ash and pumice make kitty litter. Most electrical components contain quartz. Magnetite is an ore of iron used in making steel, kitchen appliances, ship building, trains highways even nails! From carpet to the foundation of your house, rocks and minerals are used in everyday life.

We use rocks in medicine too. One kind of rock in medicine is Bismuth. Bismuth is used for an upset stomach. You know the bottle with the famous pink liquid? Sulphur is used in making drugs. Silver is used in making dental and medical equipment. Magnetite is used in medicine, too. Another rock used in medicine is Boron. Some people say this mineral can strengthen bones and make more muscle. We do not know this for sure, but we do know that vitamins and minerals can be used to make you healthier.

Can you imagine your world without rocks and minerals?