tenacity

views updated May 08 2018

tenacity The physical response of a mineral to stress, e.g. vibration, crushing, or bending. Soft minerals which are easily flattened, e.g. copper and gold, are described as ‘malleable’. Minerals such as pyrite and fluorite crumble easily and are said to be ‘brittle’. Minerals such as mica are ‘flexible’, meaning they can be bent but will not return to their original shape.

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