Most products are either grown or mined. Natural resources are important for any nation to develop. Money will buy products, but what does the money really represent? Money has to somehow reflect the wealth of a country, which at one time was based on the amount of "gold" a nation has stored away. Gold, a mineral, was that important! However today wealth of a nation is more complicated based on other resources and economic indicators.

Minerals have always been important because they create products. Even in very early societies in Egypt (Africa) and Inca (South America), the amount of jewels and gold indicated the wealth of that society. People invaded other countries to take their mineral resources.

Minerals are indeed useful, but they have also caused wars and instability in different regions. Let’s look at some of the common uses of minerals today.