For the solvent free mechanochemical synthesis of fullerene compounds as initiated by us in 1994, it became necessary to know how the polycrystalline C-60 structures resist to high speed vibration milling (HSVM). We have shown that there is no mechanical damage in the C-60 molecule up to a HSVM time of 30 min. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.