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Mohs Hardness Scale

Mohs Hardness Scale

The Mohs scale is one of the most important tests for mineral diversity. This measurement compares a mineral's resistance to scratching to the Mohs hardness scale of 10 minerals. Since most samples of a given mineral are close to the same hardness, it is evaluated. It is also a strong symbolic property for many minerals. Although there are many methods and systems used to measure the hardness of a material, the most common of these is the Mohs Hardness Scale. A system established by Friedrich Mohs in 1812, the Mohs Hardness Scale is a type of table used to test and compare the hardness of different minerals. The scale, which can be described as ordinal rather than linear or logarithmic, provides a rough measure of a mineral's hardness based on its smooth surface resistance to scratching and abrasion.

Mohs Hardness Scale

Talc Gypsum Calcite Fluorite Apetite Orthoclase Quartz Topaz Corundum Diamond
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Soft Medium Hardness Hard Very Hard

Material -Hardness Table

Material Hardness Material Hardness Material Hardness
Talc 1 Barite 3-3,5 Pyrite 6-6,5
Graphite 1 Dolamite 3,5-4 Rutile 6-6,5
Clay 1 Fluorite 4 Garnet 6,5-7,5
Bentonite 1 Magnesite 4-4,5 Granite 7
Sulfur 1,5-2 Siderite 4-4,5 Quartz 7
Gypsum 1,5-2 Uraniite 4-6 Zircon sand 7,5
Kaolin 2 Apatite 5 Basalt 8
Rock salt 2 Magnetite 5,5-6 Zirconium oxide 8,5
Mica 2,5 Rhodonite 5-6,5 Tungsten carbide 8,5
Asbestos 3 Iron ore 5,5-6,5 Silicon carbide 9
Calcite 3 Feldspar 6 Boron carbide 9,5
Limestone 3 Pyrite 6-6,5 Boron nitride 9,7
Marble 3 Feldspar 6 Diamond 10
Anhydrite 3-3,5
* The values given are average values. They may vary depending on the materials.