Inorganic compounds: any type of compound that does not have carbon as its base, e.g.,

salt (NaCl),
silica (SiO₂, secreted by some plants and single-celled critters),
calcite (CaCO₃, secreted by many types of organisms),
phosphate (P₂O₅, useful as a fertilizer).
These are all inorganic compounds that contain elements useful or necessary for life

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