Guide to Mohs Hardness

Understanding Hardness: The Mohs Scale

"Hardness" refers to a mineral's ability to resist scratches, and it's measured using the Mohs Hardness Scale.

This scale was created in 1812 by the German mineralogist Friedrich Mohs. It ranks minerals based on their ability to scratch another mineral.

The scale ranges from 1 (talc, very soft) to 10 (diamond, the hardest known mineral). For example, if a mineral can scratch calcite (rated 3) but not fluorite (rated 4), its hardness is between 3 and 4. This property helps identify minerals and understand their durability and practical uses.