You Can Build On Remove mining's contribution to your home and about the only thing you'd have left is the mortgage. Even building a home would be impossible without the saw, hammer and nails made possible by mining. The principal components of your home's foundation are all minerals, including limestone, sand and gravel. Clays are used to manufacture bricks and tiles.
Copper pipes carry water throughout the home.
Gypsum is used in drywall. Barium, manganese, titanium pigments and talc are found in paint. Linoleum contains calcium carbonate while lime is found in carpets. Windows contain silica.