A substance must meet several criteria in order to be considered a mineral. According to the International Mineralogical Association (IMA), a mineral is a naturally occurring, inorganic substance that has a definite chemical composition and an ordered atomic arrangement. Based on these criteria, a substance must meet the following requirements to be considered a mineral:
Naturally occurring: The substance must have formed naturally through geological processes and not through human intervention.
Inorganic: The substance must not be composed of living organisms or the remains of organisms.
Definite chemical composition: The substance must have a specific and fixed chemical composition, which can be represented by a chemical formula.
Ordered atomic arrangement: The atoms that make up the substance must be arranged in a specific, repeating pattern known as a crystal structure.
Solid State : The substance should be in solid state at normal temperature and pressure.
These criteria are widely accepted by scientists, and a substance that meets all of these criteria is considered to be a mineral. However, the definition and criteria for what is considered a mineral can change or evolve over time.
Also there are some additional criteria that can be applied when studying a mineral specimen, these includes, luster, color, streak, cleavage and crystal habits.