Single-particle crushing tests have been carried out on the component minerals of a sand and the results have been compared statistically with those obtained for individually marked particles placed in triaxial samples and then subjected to isotropic consolidation and shear tests. The single-particle crushing strength was defined for breakage of asperities and for whole-particle fracture. The results were analysed and compared using particle survival probability curves. Maximum characteristic stresses were estimated for the individual particles embedded in the test specimens using a simplified analysis and then survival probabilities at these stress levels were abstracted from the curves for the single-particle tests. A statistical comparison with the observed particle breakages showed good agreement. A particle breakage factor was defined in terms of the evolution of the particle size grading curve with respect to the smallest particle size and related to the survival probability curve for the breakage of asperities. The degree of crushing as measured by the change in particle size distribution curves seems to be related to the size of the yield surface, with larger evolved yield surfaces causing more particle breakage.