Final answer:
Copper is an example of a mineral made of a single element, while most minerals are compounds made up of combinations of elements. These compounds or elements are the constituents of various rock types.
Step-by-step explanation:
A few minerals, such as copper, are made of a single element. The vast majority of minerals, however, are made of compounds that are a combination of elements.
Minerals are the basic building blocks of rocks and can consist of either a single element, like gold or copper, or chemical compounds consisting of two or more elements. The seven most common minerals that make up 84% of Earth's crust are examples of such compounds.
While pure substances are divided into elements and compounds, minerals also comprise essential nutrients required by the body in various amounts. Common minerals in the Earth's crust include quartz, feldspar, and mica, which combine in various ways to form different rock types like igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.