Mineral acid
A mineral acid is an acid derived by chemical reaction from inorganic minerals, as opposed to organic acids. Examples include:
Characteristics
Mineral acids range from acids of great strength (example: sulfuric acid) to very weak (boric acid). As mineral acid molecules tend to consist of only a few atoms, of which many are polar, they tend to be very soluble in water, and insoluble in organic solvents. Mineral acids are very important to chemical procedures.
These acids are most often used in large-scale industries. Dilute solution of hydrochloric acid is used for removing the deposits from inside the boilers. However, precautions are taken to prevent the corrosion of the boiler by the acid. This process is known as de-scaling. Therefore, large quantities of these acids, especially sulfuric acid, nitric acid and hydrochloric acid are manufactured for commercial use in huge plants.