mineralogy Mineralogy is a subject of geology specializing in the scientific study of the chemistry, crystal structure, and physical (including optical) properties of minerals and mineralized artifacts. Specific studies within mineralogy include the proces ...

, tenacity is a

mineral In geology and mineralogy, a mineral or mineral species is, broadly speaking, a solid chemical compound with a fairly well-defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure that occurs naturally in pure form.John P. Rafferty, ed. ( ...

's behavior when deformed or broken.

Common terms

Brittleness A material is brittle if, when subjected to stress, it fractures with little elastic deformation and without significant plastic deformation. Brittle materials absorb relatively little energy prior to fracture, even those of high strength. Bre ...

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The mineral breaks or powders easily. Most ionic-bonded minerals are brittle.

Malleability Ductility is a List of materials properties, mechanical property commonly described as a material's amenability to Drawing (manufacturing), drawing (e.g. into wire). In materials science, ductility is defined by the degree to which a materia ...

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

Ductility Ductility is a mechanical property commonly described as a material's amenability to drawing (e.g. into wire). In materials science, ductility is defined by the degree to which a material can sustain plastic deformation under tensile stres ...

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

Sectility Sectility is the ability of a mineral to be cut into thin pieces with a knife. Minerals that are not sectile will be broken into rougher pieces when cut. Metals and paper are sectile. Sectility can be used to distinguish minerals of similar appea ...

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May be cut smoothly with a knife. Relatively few minerals are

sectile Sectility is the ability of a mineral to be cut into thin pieces with a knife. Minerals that are not sectile will be broken into rougher pieces when cut. Metals and paper are sectile. Sectility can be used to distinguish minerals of similar appea ...

. Sectility is a form of tenacity and can be used to distinguish minerals of similar appearance.

Gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...

, for example, is sectile but

pyrite The mineral pyrite (), or iron pyrite, also known as fool's gold, is an iron sulfide with the chemical formula Iron, FeSulfur, S2 (iron (II) disulfide). Pyrite is the most abundant sulfide mineral. Pyrite's metallic Luster (mineralogy), lust ...

("fool's gold") is not.

Elasticity Elasticity often refers to: *Elasticity (physics), continuum mechanics of bodies that deform reversibly under stress Elasticity may also refer to: Information technology * Elasticity (data store), the flexibility of the data model and the cl ...

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If bent, will spring back to its original position when the stress is released.

Plasticity Plasticity may refer to: Science * Plasticity (physics), in engineering and physics, the propensity of a solid material to undergo permanent deformation under load * Neuroplasticity, in neuroscience, how entire brain structures, and the brain it ...

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If bent, will not spring back to its original position when the stress is released. It stays bent. In contrast, flexibility is the ability of a material to deform elastically and return to its original shape when the applied stress is removed.

References

{{Geology-stub Mineralogy Deformation (mechanics) Materials science