Tenacity (mineralogy)

In mineralogy, tenacity is a mineral's behavior when deformed or broken.

Common terms

Brittleness

The mineral breaks or powders easily. Most ionic-bonded minerals are brittle.^[1]

Malleability

The mineral may be pounded out into thin sheets. Metallic-bonded minerals are usually malleable.

Ductility

The mineral may be drawn into a wire. Ductile materials have to be malleable as well as tough.

Sectility

May be cut smoothly with a knife. Relatively few minerals are sectile. Sectility is a form of tenacity and can be used to distinguish minerals of similar appearance.^[2] Gold, for example, is sectile but pyrite ("fool's gold") is not.

Elasticity

If bent by an external force, an elastic mineral will spring back to its original shape and size when the stress, that is, the external force, is released.

Plasticity

If bent by an external force, a plastic mineral will not spring back to its original shape and size when the stress, that is, the external force, is released. It stays bent.

References

^ Nesse, William D. (2000). "Physical Properties of Minerals". Introduction to mineralogy. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 122. ISBN 9780195106916. OCLC 39961846.
^ "Sectile - Minerals.net Glossary of Terms". www.minerals.net. Retrieved 10 April 2018.

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[1] Nesse, William D. (2000). "Physical Properties of Minerals". Introduction to mineralogy. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 122. ISBN 9780195106916. OCLC 39961846.

[2] "Sectile - Minerals.net Glossary of Terms". www.minerals.net. Retrieved 10 April 2018.

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