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Tenacity Collection, Set of 10
Taxonomic Diversity: Features ten distinct specimens curated to exhibit the full spectrum of mineralogical tenacity, including brittle, malleable, sectile, ductile, flexible, and elastic characteristics for comparative diagnostic testing.
Showcase Construction: Housed in a 230mm x 300mm high-impact enclosure with partitioned compartments and indelible descriptive nomenclature to maintain organizational integrity and specimen protection throughout high-frequency laboratory rotations.
$4.91
Quick Answer: This 10-specimen tenacity collection lets students test how different minerals respond to physical stress — whether they shatter, bend, flake, or can be hammered or drawn out — covering the main tenacity categories used in mineral identification: brittle, malleable, sectile, ductile, flexible and elastic.
Product Description
Tenacity describes how a mineral resists breaking, bending or being deformed, and it is one of the identification properties that most directly connects mineralogy to everyday material behaviour. This 10-piece set is built to let students physically compare that resistance across the recognised tenacity categories: brittle minerals shatter into fragments, malleable minerals can be hammered into thin sheets, sectile minerals can be cut with a knife into shavings, ductile minerals can be drawn into a wire, flexible minerals bend but stay bent, and elastic minerals bend and spring back to their original shape.
Because tenacity depends on a mineral’s internal bonding and crystal structure rather than its outward appearance, working through this set gives students a physical, hands-on sense of how atomic-scale bonding translates into macroscopic behaviour — a concept that connects mineralogy to materials science and basic solid-state chemistry.
Specimen Details
| Detail | Description |
|---|---|
| Set size | 10 mineral specimens selected to demonstrate tenacity |
| Property demonstrated | Tenacity (resistance to breaking, bending or deformation) |
| Categories covered | Brittle, malleable, sectile, ductile, flexible, elastic |
| Test method | Careful, supervised manual testing (bending, light cutting, gentle pressure) |
| Typical use | Mineralogy and earth science identification labs |
Applications
- Mineral identification practicals covering physical response to stress
- Linking mineral bonding structure to observable material behaviour
- Combined-property identification exercises alongside hardness and streak sets
- Introductory materials-science context within a geology curriculum
Care & Handling
Tenacity testing is inherently destructive to a small degree — sectile and malleable tests intentionally mark the specimen — so testing should always be supervised and performed gently on a stable surface. Keep specimens separated in a compartmented tray, and avoid excessive force that could damage a specimen beyond its intended teaching purpose.
Why Choose LabEquip
This tenacity set is part of LabEquip’s wider Educational Rock and Minerals range, built so each physical property — streak, hardness, specific gravity, tenacity — can be taught with a dedicated, purpose-selected specimen set. Combine it with our Chemistry Lab Equipment range for a fuller physical-science lab, or explore our STEM Kits for related hands-on sets.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is tenacity in mineralogy?
Tenacity describes how a mineral resists breaking, bending or being deformed under stress. It reflects the mineral’s internal bonding and crystal structure rather than its outward appearance.
What are the main tenacity categories this set covers?
Brittle (shatters), malleable (can be hammered into sheets), sectile (can be cut with a knife), ductile (can be drawn into a wire), flexible (bends and stays bent) and elastic (bends and springs back).
Is tenacity testing safe for the specimens?
Some tests, like sectile and malleable testing, intentionally mark or reshape the specimen slightly. Testing should be done gently and under supervision, understanding that a small amount of visible change is expected.
How does tenacity differ from hardness?
Hardness measures resistance to scratching, while tenacity measures resistance to breaking, bending or deformation. A mineral can be hard but brittle, or soft but flexible — they are independent properties.
What level is this set suitable for?
It works well for secondary school earth science classes and as a hands-on identification exercise in introductory college mineralogy courses.
How should I store the set between classes?
Keep specimens in a compartmented tray to prevent them knocking against one another, and store away from damp conditions.
Last Updated: September 2026
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