Rock/Mineral Ore Eating Organism
How would an alien organism survive on a diet of rocks and mineral ores, and what kind of materials would be the most sufficient? Also, what kind of teeth and evolutionary traits would they possess in order to support this geophagic diet? I've researched animals such as the chiton, limpet and sea urchins, who also have strong teeth made of magnetite, goethite and calcite respectively, sea urchins possessing self sharpening teeth as well. I'm currently playing with the idea of this organism being an evolved humanoid chiton similar to how an Inkling from Splatoon is an evolved squid humanoid. The only other fictional race I am aware of that has a geophagic diet are Gorons from Zelda, but I am not sure why they eat rocks other than the fact its fantasy.
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