Mohs Scale of Mineral Hardness
Qualitative ordinal scale that characterizes the scratch resistance of various minerals
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The Mohs scale of mineral hardness characterizes the scratch resistance of various minerals or materials through the ability of a harder materials to scratch softer materials.
| Mohs hardness | Typical Material |
|---|---|
| 1 | Talc |
| 2 | Gypsum, Rock salt |
| 2.5 | Fingernail, pure gold, silver, aluminum |
| 3 | Calcspar (calcite), copper coin (penny) |
| 4 | Fluorspar (fluorite) |
| 4.5 | Platinum, iron |
| 5 | Apatite |
| 6 | Felspar, orthoclase, titanium, spectrolite |
| 6.5 | Steelfile, iron pyrite, glass, vitreous pure silica, streak plate |
| 7 | Quarts, amethyst, citrine, agate |
| 7.5 | Garnet |
| 8 | Topaz, hardened steel, beryl, emerald, aquamarine |
| 8.94 | Rock crystal quartz |
| 9 | African crystal corundum, ruby, sapphire |
| 9.03 | Fused alumina |
| 9.06 | Fused alumina (3.14% TiO2) |
| 9.09 | Tungsten carbid (13% cobalt) |
| 9.15 | Black silicon carbide |
| 9.32 | Boron carbide |
| 9.5 | Carborundum |
| 9.95 | Diamond, Congo clear white |
| 9.96 | Diamond, Congo yellow |
| 9.99 | Diamond, South American brown ballas |
| 10 | Diamond, South American brown bort |
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