Which minerals are classified as major minerals?

• A. Iron, Zinc, Iodine, Selenium
• B. Calcium, Chloride, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium, and Sulfur
• C. Sodium, Potassium, and Chloride
• D. Phosphorus is the only major mineral

Answer: (B)

Major minerals are nutrients required in relatively larger amounts by the body, typically more than 100 mg per day, and they play key roles in bone structure, fluid balance, and metabolic processes. The minerals that fit this category include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, sodium, chloride, and magnesium. This set covers the minerals essential for both building/maintaining bones and teeth (calcium and phosphorus), regulating fluid balance and nerve signaling (sodium, potassium, chloride), and supporting enzymatic function and structural components (magnesium and sulfur).

Iron, zinc, iodine, and selenium are trace minerals, needed in much smaller amounts but still essential for various body functions, so they don’t belong in the major-mineral group.

Sodium, potassium, and chloride are indeed major minerals, but listing only these three omits several others that are also classified as major minerals, so it’s not a complete set.

Phosphorus alone is not the only major mineral; several others are required in larger amounts as well.