means A naturally occurring inorganic solid with a definite chemical composition and an orderly crystal structure — the stuff rocks, gems, and ores are made of.

from From Medieval Latin minerale, 'something mined,' which grew out of minera, 'ore' or 'mine.' That word is likely tied to the verb behind 'mine' itself — the act of digging into the earth to pull out what it's hoarding. So baked into the name is the human gesture of reaching down and prying loose the planet's hidden architecture.