Hutton's Mineral Cycle

Hutton's Mineral Cycle describes how essential minerals circulate through Earth's systems. Minerals in rocks are weathered and broken down by natural processes, releasing elements like calcium, potassium, and magnesium into the soil and water. Plants absorb these minerals, which then move through the food chain. When organisms die or excrete waste, minerals return to the soil or water. Over time, minerals can be carried by water to oceans or be reformed into rocks through geological processes. This continuous cycle maintains the balance of minerals necessary for life and shapes Earth's surface.