Hardness estimation of minerals, rocks and ceramic materials / Определение твердости минералов, горных пород и керамических материалов

The mechanical properties of minerals constitute a very little investigated field of study compared with other areas of mineral physics. The minerals for w hich all crystallomechanical parameters are known are few, and until now it has not been possible to state unequivocally whether one mechanical property alone could be adequately used in defining most minerals. For this reason, it is essential that the mechanical properties and deformations of minerals be investigated, treating mineral crystallomechanics as a section of mineralogy of importance equal to crystallo-optics and crystallochem-istry. for example. <...>