what do the minerals do?

[PhantomSoldier]

i make alot of money mining and find em all the time

[NotThatHarkness]

Aside from completing the museum collection, not much. A few are useful as gifts and some are used in crafting, but most are just something to be sold.

[Willow Rivers]

Museum collection, gifts and some for crafting. Also I think the community center you need some to restore it.

[kevinshow]

The fall event with the grange display might benefit from some of the artifacts also. You can read up more on it, since I"m not sure if you *need* them or if they are just more option to use them but not needed.