The present invention pertains to mineral fibers useful as biomimetics of tissue, such as dental enamel and bone, and as filler in paper, paint, coatings, and plastic production. The present invention also concerns methods for producing mineral fibers by contacting an inorganic liquid-phase mineral precursor with a crystalline inorganic substrate under conditions permitting the inorganic liquid-phase mineral precursor to solidify and crystallize, compositions comprising mineral fibers, and methods for treating a tissue defect within a patient by applying mineral fibers to the site of the tissue defect.