They are basic elements that are essential to life.
Minerals come from the earth.
We can't make them in our bodies, so we must get them from the foods we eat. They come from the earth, are taken up by the plants and eaten by animals and by us. Some minerals are needed in relatively large amounts, like calcium, phosphorous and magnesium. Then there are the trace elements, those we need only in minute amounts, but which are still very essential to the body. They include iron, copper, and zinc to name a few.