Minerality made some sense when applied to the flinty smell of benzyl mercaptan. However, it was never properly defined. It sounds good, and gives wines (and the palates sensitive enough to “get it”) an aura of sophistication. Because of that, it became a “my wine has it too” descriptor, applied indiscriminately to a vast array of smells and even textures. Today it can mean anything, so it means nothing. Thus, it is useless.