NATURAL GAS. 
13 
NATURAL GAS A MINERAL. 
Broadly, the word mineral means the inorganic materials of which 
the earth consists. “ The word minerals in the popular sense means 
those inorganic constituents of the earth’s crust which are commonly 
obtained by mining or other process for bringing them to the surface 
for profit.” That is, the term “mineral” is not, per se, a term of 
art or trade, but of general language, and in addition to its broad 
scientific meaning is also used in a commercial sense where it may 
include any inorganic substances found in nature, having sufficient 
value, separated from its condition as a part of the earth, to be mined. 
Natural gas is now universally classed as a mineral. However, on 
account of its adventitious origin, migratory habits, and fugitive 
tendencies, it is regarded as a mineral with special attributes. Since 
it is a mineral, it is, therefore, a crude product. As so aptly stated 
by the United States Supreme Court, “ Natural gas is a crude mineral, 
not advanced in value or condition by refining or grinding or by any 
other process of manufacture.” 1 
ORIGIN OR FORMATION OF NATURAL GAS. 
How, when, and where the constituents of natural gas were formed 
is not definitely known. For our purpose we need not bother about 
the various theories that have been propounded regarding the origin 
or formation of petroleum generally or natural gas constituents in 
particular. That is, whether these constituents originated from 
cosmic, organic, inorganic, animal, vegetable, volcanic, animal bac- 
terial, plant bacterial, diatomic, or fatty algal sources is not germane. 
Neither is the matter of adventitious and migratory or indigenous 
and accumulative relationship with regard to any geological forma- 
tion of vital importance. 
The incontrovertible facts are that we have in natural gas a crude 
natural substance made up of mixtures of widely varying constit- 
uents — even though we may not know how these mixtures were 
thrown together — for different natural gas fields in the United States. 
Some of these natural gases are wet, while others are dry ; some are 
high in heating value, while others are low, and some are heavy, 
while others are light in weight. 
STARTING POINT OF GAS ACTIVITY. 
As far as temperature is concerned, gas activity begins at a point 
460° below zero on the Fahrenheit scale, and as far as pressure is con- 
cerned, it begins at the point of absolute vacuum, or 14.7 pounds 
below atmospheric pressure at sea level. Neither point has ever 
1 United States versus Buffalo Natural Gas Fuel Co., 172 U, S., p. 339. 
