The origin of minerals was explained rather early in ancient China and theWest. In the West, as early as the 4 th century B. C., Aristotle (384--322 B. C.),a Greek scholar, believed that minerals in the Earth's crust were formed by dryand moist exhalation. In China an ancient book named"Chou Li. Khao Kung Chi"written prior to the Qin Dynasty (221--206 B. C.) proposes that minerals origi-nate by"Ti Chi" (earth exhalation). This paper not only elucidates the theorieson mineral formation in China and the West prior to the 16 th centuty but alsopoints out their differences, introduces their advantages and disadvantages andtheir mutual influences and finally comments on these theories by means ofmodern thoughts and concepts about mineral formation.