https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.13912
Process through which an organic substance becomes impregnated by or turned into inorganic substances.
Notes:
- A particular case is the process by which living organisms produce and structure minerals often to harden or stiffen existing tissues. (See biomineralization.)
- In the case of polymer biodegradation, this term is used to reflect conversion to _015233_ and \(\ce{H2O}\) and other inorganics. \(\ce{CH4}\) can be considered as part of the mineralization process because it comes up in parallel to the minerals in anaerobic composting, also called methanization.