A crucible is a cup-shaped piece of laboratory equipment used to contain chemical compounds when heating them to very high temperatures. Crucibles are available in several sizes and typically come with a crucible cover (or lid). Crucible materials and description Crucibles and their covers are made of high temperature-resistant materials, usually porcelain or an inert metal. One of the earliest uses of platinum was to make crucibles. More recently, metals such as nickel and zirconium have bee… (More on Crucible)