Minerals fracture due to changes in stress or external forces applied to them. The atomic bonds within minerals can be relatively weak, and when the stress on the mineral exceeds the strength of these bonds, they break. The type of fracture depends on factors such as the mineral's crystal structure, grain size, and direction of stress. Different types of fractures include conchoidal, cleavage, and irregular fractures.«Simulations of fracture and fragmentation of geologic materials using combined femdemsph analysis (conference) osti.gov»