The Mohs Hardness Scale and Chart for Select Gems
The Mohs hardness scale measures a mineral's resistance to scratching. Find the traditional scale here and a chart of select gems ordered by hardness.
3 Minute Read
HomeLearning CenterGemologyReference Charts & MaterialsThe Mohs Hardness Scale and Chart for Select Gems
The Mohs Hardness Scale
10 | Diamond |
9 | Corundum |
8 | Topaz |
7 | Quartz |
6 | Feldspar |
5 | Apatite |
4 | Fluorite |
3 | Calcite |
2 | Gypsum |
1 | Talc |
Select Gems Ordered By Mohs Hardness
Name | Hardness | Name | Hardness |
Diamond | 10 | Hypersthene | 5 - 6 |
Synth. Moissanit | 9½ | Ilmenite | 5 - 6 |
Ruby | 9 | Lapis Lazuli | 5 - 6 |
Sapphire | 9 | Lazulite | 5 - 6 |
Alexandrite | 8½ | Nepheline | 5 - 6 |
Chrysoberyll | 8½ | Neptunite | 5 - 6 |
Holtite | 8½ | Pargasite | 5 - 6 |
YAG | 8½ | Richterite | 5 - 6 |
Zirconia | 8½ | Samarskite | 5 - 6 |
Rhodizite | 8 - 8½ | Stibiotantalite | 5 - 6 |
Taafeite | 8 - 8½ | Tremolite | 5 - 6 |
Spinel | 8 | Turquoise | 5 - 6 |
Topaz | 8 | Analcime | 5 - 5½ |
Aquamarine | 7½ - 8 | Datolite | 5 - 5½ |
Red Beryl | 7½ - 8 | Durangite | 5 - 5½ |
Precious Beryl | 7½ - 8 | Eudialyte | 5 - 5½ |
Gahnite | 7½ - 8 | Goethite | 5 - 5½ |
Galaxite | 7½ - 8 | Herderite | 5 - 5½ |
Painite | 7½ - 8 | Hydroxylherderite | 5 - 5½ |
Phenakite | 7½ - 8 | Meliphanite | 5 - 5½ |
Emerald | 7½ - 8 | Mesolite | 5 - 5½ |
Andalusite | 7½ | Microlite | 5 - 5½ |
Euclase | 7½ | Monazite | 5 - 5½ |
Hambergite | 7½ | Natrolite | 5 - 5½ |
Sapphirine | 7½ | Nickeline | 5 - 5½ |
Dumortierite | 7 - 8½ | Papagoite | 5 - 5½ |
Almandine | 7 - 7½ | Psilomelane | 5 - 5½ |
Boracite | 7 - 7½ | Scolecite | 5 - 5½ |
Cordierite | 7 - 7½ | Sellaite | 5 - 5½ |
Danburite | 7 - 7½ | Thomsonite | 5 - 5½ |
Grandidierite | 7 - 7½ | Titanite | 5 - 5½ |
Pyrope | 7 - 7½ | Wolframite | 5 - 5½ |
Schorlomite | 7 - 7½ | Yttrotantalite | 5 - 5½ |
Sekaninaite | 7 - 7½ | Apatite | 5 |
Simpsonite | 7 - 7½ | Bismutotantalite | 5 |
Spessartine | 7 - 7½ | Childrenite | 5 |
Staurolite | 7 - 7½ | Chlorapatite | 5 |
Turmaline | 7 - 7½ | Dioptase | 5 |
Uvarovite | 7 - 7½ | Eosphorite | 5 |
Amethyst | 7 | Flourapatite | 5 |
Aventurine | 7 | Hemimorphite | 5 |
Rock Crystal | 7 | Hydroxylapatite | 5 |
Chambersite | 7 | Mangan-Apatite | 5 |
Chromdravite | 7 | Odontolite | 5 |
Citrine | 7 | Rinkite | 5 |
Forsterite | 7 | Schlossmacherite | 5 |
Povondraite | 7 | Smithsonite | 5 |
Quartz | 7 | Spurrite | 5 |
Smoky Quartz | 7 | Strass | 5 |
Zunyite | 7 | Vayrynenite | 5 |
Garnet | 6½ - 7½ | Ekanite | 4½ - 6½ |
Jeremejevite | 6½ - 7½ | Apophyllite | 4½ - 5 |
Sillimanite | 6½ - 7½ | Augelite | 4½ - 5 |
Zircon | 6½ - 7½ | Charoite | 4½ - 5 |
Axinite | 6½ - 7 | Gaspéite | 4½ - 5 |
Chalcedony | 6½ - 7 | Hodgkinsonite | 4½ - 5 |
Chrysoprase | 6½ - 7 | Legrandite | 4½ - 5 |
Diaspore | 6½ - 7 | Pectolite | 4½ - 5 |
Ferro-Axinite | 6½ - 7 | Scheelite | 4½ - 5 |
Gadolinite | 6½ - 7 | Wardite | 4½ - 5 |
Grossular | 6½ - 7 | Wollastonite | 4½ - 5 |
Hiddenite | 6½ - 7 | Bayldonite | 4½ |
Jadeite | 6½ - 7 | Colemanite | 4½ |
Jasper | 6½ - 7 | Parisite | 4½ |
Kornerupine | 6½ - 7 | Prosopite | 4½ |
Kunzite | 6½ - 7 | Yugawaralite | 4½ |
Mangan-Axinite | 6½ - 7 | Kyanite | 4 - 7 |
Peridot | 6½ - 7 | Sérandite | 4 - 5½ |
Pollucite | 6½ - 7 | Chabazite | 4 - 5 |
Serendibite | 6½ - 7 | Friedelite | 4 - 5 |
Sinhalite | 6½ - 7 | Lithiophilite | 4 - 5 |
Spodumene | 6½ - 7 | Mordenite | 4 - 5 |
Tanzanite | 6½ - 7 | Triphylite | 4 - 5 |
Thorianite | 6½ - 7 | Variscite | 4 - 5 |
Tinzenite | 6½ - 7 | Zincite | 4 - 5 |
GGG | 6½ | Carletonite | 4 - 4½ |
Magnesio-Axinite | 6½ | Hübnerite | 4 - 4½ |
Nambulite | 6½ | Purpurite | 4 - 4½ |
Vesuvianite | 6½ | Algodonite | 4 |
Cassiterite | 6 - 7 | Ammonite | 4 |
Clinozoisite | 6 - 7 | Barytocalcite | 4 |
Epidote | 6 - 7 | Flourite | 4 |
Hancockite | 6 - 7 | Leucophanite | 4 |
Pyrolusite | 6 - 7 | Libethenite | 4 |
Sogdianite | 6 - 7 | Rhodochrosite | 4 |
Amazonite | 6 - 6½ | Magnesite | 3½ - 4½ |
Andesine | 6 - 6½ | Siderite | 3½ - 4½ |
Anorthoclase | 6 - 6½ | Ankerite | 3½ - 4 |
Benitoite | 6 - 6½ | Aragonite | 3½ - 4 |
Bixbyite | 6 - 6½ | Azurite | 3½ - 4 |
Bytownite | 6 - 6½ | Chalcopyrite | 3½ - 4 |
Chondroite | 6 - 6½ | Creedite | 3½ - 4 |
Helvite | 6 - 6½ | Cuprite | 3½ - 4 |
Hyalophane | 6 - 6½ | Dickinsonite | 3½ - 4 |
Labradorite | 6 - 6½ | Dolomite | 3½ - 4 |
Marcasite | 6 - 6½ | Euchroite | 3½ - 4 |
Microcline | 6 - 6½ | Langbeinite | 3½ - 4 |
Nephrite | 6 - 6½ | Malachite | 3½ - 4 |
Norbergite | 6 - 6½ | Mimetite | 3½ - 4 |
Oligoclase | 6 - 6½ | Pentlandite | 3½ - 4 |
Petalite | 6 - 6½ | Powellite | 3½ - 4 |
Prehnite | 6 - 6½ | Scorodite | 3½ - 4 |
Pyrite | 6 - 6½ | Shungite | 3½ - 4 |
Rutile | 6 - 6½ | Shattuckite | 3½ - 4 |
Sanidine | 6 - 6½ | Sphalerite | 3½ - 4 |
Smaragdite | 6 - 6½ | Wavellite | 3½ - 4 |
Sugilite | 6 - 6½ | Wurtzite | 3½ - 4 |
Tantalite | 6 - 6½ | Adamite | 3½ |
Xonotlite | 6 - 6½ | Anhydrite | 3½ |
Zoisite | 6 - 6½ | Chiolite | 3½ |
Aegirine | 6 | Huréaulite | 3½ |
Amblygonite | 6 | Strontianite | 3½ |
Clinohumite | 6 | Thaumasite | 3½ |
Humite | 6 | Weloganite | 3½ |
Hurlbutite | 6 | Cacoxenite | 3 -4 |
Lawsonite | 6 | Coral | 3 -4 |
Pumpellyite | 6 | Ludlamite | 3 -4 |
Tephroite | 6 | Anglesite | 3 - 3½ |
Vlasovite | 6 | Baryte | 3 - 3½ |
Zektzerite | 6 | Boleite | 3 - 3½ |
Hematite | 5½ - 6½ | Cerussite | 3 - 3½ |
Hedenbergite | 5½ - 6½ | Celestine | 3 - 3½ |
Magnetite | 5½ - 6½ | Descloizite | 3 - 3½ |
Manganotantalite | 5½ - 6½ | Greenockite | 3 - 3½ |
Opal | 5½ - 6½ | Howlite | 3 - 3½ |
Rhodonite | 5½ - 6½ | Millerite | 3 - 3½ |
Actinolite | 5½ - 6 | Phosphophyllite | 3 - 3½ |
Allanite | 5½ - 6 | Witherite | 3 - 3½ |
Anatase | 5½ - 6 | Bornite | 3 |
Beryllonite | 5½ - 6 | Calcite | 3 |
Brookite | 5½ - 6 | Kurnakovite | 3 |
Bustamite | 5½ - 6 | Shortite | 3 |
Canasite | 5½ - 6 | Wulfenite | 3 |
Cobaltite | 5½ - 6 | Serpentine | 2½ - 5½ |
Euxenite | 5½ - 6 | Pearl | 2½ - 4½ |
Fabulite | 5½ - 6 | Jet | 2½ - 4 |
Fergusonite | 5½ - 6 | Chalcocite | 2½ - 3 |
Haüyne | 5½ - 6 | Crocoite | 2½ - 3 |
Leucite | 5½ - 6 | Gaylussite | 2½ - 3 |
Marialite | 5½ - 6 | Gold | 2½ - 3 |
Meionite | 5½ - 6 | Inderite | 2½ - 3 |
Milarite | 5½ - 6 | Lepidolite | 2½ - 3 |
Montebrasite | 5½ - 6 | Pyrargyrite | 2½ - 3 |
Natromontebrasite | 5½ - 6 | Silver | 2½ - 3 |
Periclase | 5½ - 6 | Stolzite | 2½ - 3 |
Pyroxmangite | 5½ - 6 | Vanadinite | 2½ - 3 |
Sarcolite | 5½ - 6 | Whewellite | 2½ - 3 |
Scorzalite | 5½ - 6 | Brucite | 2½ |
Scapolite | 5½ - 6 | Cryolite | 2½ |
Sodalite | 5½ - 6 | Linarite | 2½ |
Tugtupite | 5½ - 6 | Lizardite | 2½ |
Brazilianite | 5½ | Proustite | 2½ |
Breithauptite | 5½ | Sturmanite | 2½ |
Chromite | 5½ | Chrysocolla | 2 - 4 |
Enstatite | 5½ | Clinochrysotile | 2 -3 |
Linobate | 5½ | Fuchsite | 2 -3 |
Magnesiochromite | 5½ | Muscovite | 2 -3 |
Moldavite | 5½ | Phosgenite | 2 -3 |
Willemite | 5½ | Shomiokite | 2 -3 |
Aeschynite | 5 - 6 | Amber | 2 - 2½ |
Bronzite | 5 - 6 | Cinnabar | 2 - 2½ |
Cancrinite | 5 - 6 | Ettringite | 2 - 2½ |
Catapleiite | 5 - 6 | Kämmererite | 2 - 2½ |
Ceruléite | 5 - 6 | Mellite | 2 - 2½ |
Clinoenstatite | 5 - 6 | Senarmontite | 2 - 2½ |
Davidite | 5 - 6 | Ulexite | 2 - 2½ |
Diopside | 5 - 6 | Villiaumite | 2 - 2½ |
Ferrosilite | 5 - 6 | Gypsum | 2 |
Hornblende | 5 - 6 | Stichtite | 1½ - 2½ |
Sulphur | 1½ - 2½ | ||
Covellite | 1½ - 2 | ||
Melonite | 1½ - 2 | ||
Realgar | 1½ - 2 | ||
Vivianite | 1½ - 2 | ||
Palygorskite | 1 - 2 | ||
Pyrophyllite | 1 - 2 | ||
Talc | 1 |
Source: Gemstones of the World, 3rd Edition, Walter Schumann.
International Gem Society
Related Articles
METAL/WAX FORMULAS
Jewelers need to know how to determine how much gold is needed for a wax mold. Here are three methods...
Read More
How to Estimate Gem Weight in a Jewelry Setting
Although you can't weigh a gemstone in a jewelry setting, you can get a close approximation of the gem weight...
Read More
Properties of Diamond Simulants
Diamond simulants, like cubic zirconia and moissanite, often appear in jewelry. See how the properties of real diamonds compare with...
Read More
Standard Gem Sizes Chart
Will your gem fit in a standard setting? Use this chart of standard gem sizes for popular cuts and also...
Read More
Latest Articles
Basic Business Rules: Buying Rough
Buying rough is the foundation of the gem cutting business. Learn the basic rules novice faceters need to know in...
Read More
Peridot Value, Price, and Jewelry Information
The modern August birthstone, peridot has been prized as a jewelry stone since ancient times. Always green in color but...
Read More
Traditional Diamond Cut Grading Methods
Traditional diamond cut grading methods prepare gemologists for making evaluations with minimal time, tools, and references. This step-by-step guide covers...
Read More
Cutting a 294-ct Trilliant Morganite: An Interview with Steve Moriarty
Learn the story behind the 294-ct trilliant morganite cut by Steve Moriarty of Moriarty's Gem Art and watch his gem-cutting...
Read More
Never Stop Learning
When you join the IGS community, you get trusted diamond & gemstone information when you need it.
Get Gemology Insights
Get started with the International Gem Society’s free guide to gemstone identification. Join our weekly newsletter & get a free copy of the Gem ID Checklist!