text: Cataclasis, or comminution, is a non-elastic brittle mechanism that operates under low to moderate homologous temperatures, low confining pressure and relatively high strain rates. It occurs only above a certain differential stress level, which is dependent on fluid pressure and temperature. Cataclasis accommodates the fracture and crushing of grains, causing grain size reduction, along with frictional sliding on grain boundaries and rigid body grain rotation. Intense cataclasis occurs in thin zones along slip or fault surfaces where extreme grain size reduction occurs. In rocks, cataclasis forms a cohesive and fine-grained fault rock called cataclasite. Cataclastic flow occurs during shearing when a rock deform by microfracturing and frictional sliding where tiny fractures (microcracks), and associated rock fragments move past each other. Cataclastic flow usually occurs at diagenetic to low-grade metamorphic conditions. However, this depends on the mineralogy of the material and the extent of pore fluid pressure. Cataclastic flow is generally unstable and will terminate by the localization of deformation into slip on fault planes.