In many ways, studies of materials and minerals by powder-diffraction techniques are complementary, with techniques honed in one field equally applicable to the other. Many of the example techniques described within this paper were developed for analysis of functional materials and subsequently applied to minerals. However, in a couple of cases, the study of new minerals was the initiation into techniques later used in materials-based studies. Hopefully they will show that the study of new minerals structures can provide opportunities to add new methodologies and approaches to future problems. In keeping with the Australian X-ray Analytical Association many of the examples have an Australian connection, the materials ranging from organics to battery materials.