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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.

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mohs hardness scale
Mohs hardness scale and comparison to common items. Image by the National Park Service. Public Domain.

The Mohs Hardness Scale

10Diamond
9Corundum
8Topaz
7Quartz
6Feldspar
5Apatite
4Fluorite
3Calcite
2Gypsum
1Talc

Select Gems Ordered By Mohs Hardness

NameHardnessNameHardness
Diamond10Hypersthene5 - 6
Synth. MoissanitIlmenite5 - 6
Ruby9Lapis Lazuli5 - 6
Sapphire9Lazulite5 - 6
AlexandriteNepheline5 - 6
ChrysoberyllNeptunite5 - 6
HoltitePargasite5 - 6
YAGRichterite5 - 6
ZirconiaSamarskite5 - 6
Rhodizite8 - 8½Stibiotantalite5 - 6
Taafeite8 - 8½Tremolite5 - 6
Spinel8Turquoise5 - 6
Topaz8Analcime5 - 5½
Aquamarine7½ - 8Datolite5 - 5½
Red Beryl7½ - 8Durangite5 - 5½
Precious Beryl7½ - 8Eudialyte5 - 5½
Gahnite7½ - 8Goethite5 - 5½
Galaxite7½ - 8Herderite5 - 5½
Painite7½ - 8Hydroxylherderite5 - 5½
Phenakite7½ - 8Meliphanite5 - 5½
Emerald7½ - 8Mesolite5 - 5½
AndalusiteMicrolite5 - 5½
EuclaseMonazite5 - 5½
HambergiteNatrolite5 - 5½
SapphirineNickeline5 - 5½
Dumortierite7 - 8½Papagoite5 - 5½
Almandine7 - 7½Psilomelane5 - 5½
Boracite7 - 7½Scolecite5 - 5½
Cordierite7 - 7½Sellaite5 - 5½
Danburite7 - 7½Thomsonite5 - 5½
Grandidierite7 - 7½Titanite5 - 5½
Pyrope7 - 7½Wolframite5 - 5½
Schorlomite7 - 7½Yttrotantalite5 - 5½
Sekaninaite7 - 7½Apatite5
Simpsonite7 - 7½Bismutotantalite5
Spessartine7 - 7½Childrenite5
Staurolite7 - 7½Chlorapatite5
Turmaline7 - 7½Dioptase5
Uvarovite7 - 7½Eosphorite5
Amethyst7Flourapatite5
Aventurine7Hemimorphite5
Rock Crystal7Hydroxylapatite5
Chambersite7Mangan-Apatite5
Chromdravite7Odontolite5
Citrine7Rinkite5
Forsterite7Schlossmacherite5
Povondraite7Smithsonite5
Quartz7Spurrite5
Smoky Quartz7Strass5
Zunyite7Vayrynenite5
Garnet6½ - 7½Ekanite4½ - 6½
Jeremejevite6½ - 7½Apophyllite4½ - 5
Sillimanite6½ - 7½Augelite4½ - 5
Zircon6½ - 7½Charoite4½ - 5
Axinite6½ - 7Gaspéite4½ - 5
Chalcedony6½ - 7Hodgkinsonite4½ - 5
Chrysoprase6½ - 7Legrandite4½ - 5
Diaspore6½ - 7Pectolite4½ - 5
Ferro-Axinite6½ - 7Scheelite4½ - 5
Gadolinite6½ - 7Wardite4½ - 5
Grossular6½ - 7Wollastonite4½ - 5
Hiddenite6½ - 7Bayldonite
Jadeite6½ - 7Colemanite
Jasper6½ - 7Parisite
Kornerupine6½ - 7Prosopite
Kunzite6½ - 7Yugawaralite
Mangan-Axinite6½ - 7Kyanite4 - 7
Peridot6½ - 7Sérandite4 - 5½
Pollucite6½ - 7Chabazite4 - 5
Serendibite6½ - 7Friedelite4 - 5
Sinhalite6½ - 7Lithiophilite4 - 5
Spodumene6½ - 7Mordenite4 - 5
Tanzanite6½ - 7Triphylite4 - 5
Thorianite6½ - 7Variscite4 - 5
Tinzenite6½ - 7Zincite4 - 5
GGGCarletonite4 - 4½
Magnesio-AxiniteHübnerite4 - 4½
NambulitePurpurite4 - 4½
VesuvianiteAlgodonite4
Cassiterite6 - 7Ammonite4
Clinozoisite6 - 7Barytocalcite4
Epidote6 - 7Flourite4
Hancockite6 - 7Leucophanite4
Pyrolusite6 - 7Libethenite4
Sogdianite6 - 7Rhodochrosite4
Amazonite6 - 6½Magnesite3½ - 4½
Andesine6 - 6½Siderite3½ - 4½
Anorthoclase6 - 6½Ankerite3½ - 4
Benitoite6 - 6½Aragonite3½ - 4
Bixbyite6 - 6½Azurite3½ - 4
Bytownite6 - 6½Chalcopyrite3½ - 4
Chondroite6 - 6½Creedite3½ - 4
Helvite6 - 6½Cuprite3½ - 4
Hyalophane6 - 6½Dickinsonite3½ - 4
Labradorite6 - 6½Dolomite3½ - 4
Marcasite6 - 6½Euchroite3½ - 4
Microcline6 - 6½Langbeinite3½ - 4
Nephrite6 - 6½Malachite3½ - 4
Norbergite6 - 6½Mimetite3½ - 4
Oligoclase6 - 6½Pentlandite3½ - 4
Petalite6 - 6½Powellite3½ - 4
Prehnite6 - 6½Scorodite3½ - 4
Pyrite6 - 6½Shungite3½ - 4
Rutile6 - 6½Shattuckite3½ - 4
Sanidine6 - 6½Sphalerite3½ - 4
Smaragdite6 - 6½Wavellite3½ - 4
Sugilite6 - 6½Wurtzite3½ - 4
Tantalite6 - 6½Adamite
Xonotlite6 - 6½Anhydrite
Zoisite6 - 6½Chiolite
Aegirine6Huréaulite
Amblygonite6Strontianite
Clinohumite6Thaumasite
Humite6Weloganite
Hurlbutite6Cacoxenite3 -4
Lawsonite6Coral3 -4
Pumpellyite6Ludlamite3 -4
Tephroite6Anglesite3 - 3½
Vlasovite6Baryte3 - 3½
Zektzerite6Boleite3 - 3½
Hematite5½ - 6½Cerussite3 - 3½
Hedenbergite5½ - 6½Celestine3 - 3½
Magnetite5½ - 6½Descloizite3 - 3½
Manganotantalite5½ - 6½Greenockite3 - 3½
Opal5½ - 6½Howlite3 - 3½
Rhodonite5½ - 6½Millerite3 - 3½
Actinolite5½ - 6Phosphophyllite3 - 3½
Allanite5½ - 6Witherite3 - 3½
Anatase5½ - 6Bornite3
Beryllonite5½ - 6Calcite3
Brookite5½ - 6Kurnakovite3
Bustamite5½ - 6Shortite3
Canasite5½ - 6Wulfenite3
Cobaltite5½ - 6Serpentine 2½ -  5½
Euxenite5½ - 6Pearl 2½ -  4½
Fabulite5½ - 6Jet 2½ -  4
Fergusonite5½ - 6Chalcocite 2½ -  3
Haüyne5½ - 6Crocoite 2½ -  3
Leucite5½ - 6Gaylussite 2½ -  3
Marialite5½ - 6Gold 2½ -  3
Meionite5½ - 6Inderite 2½ -  3
Milarite5½ - 6Lepidolite 2½ -  3
Montebrasite5½ - 6Pyrargyrite 2½ -  3
Natromontebrasite5½ - 6Silver 2½ -  3
Periclase5½ - 6Stolzite 2½ -  3
Pyroxmangite5½ - 6Vanadinite 2½ -  3
Sarcolite5½ - 6Whewellite 2½ -  3
Scorzalite5½ - 6Brucite 2½
Scapolite5½ - 6Cryolite 2½
Sodalite5½ - 6Linarite 2½
Tugtupite5½ - 6Lizardite 2½
BrazilianiteProustite 2½
BreithauptiteSturmanite 2½
ChromiteChrysocolla2 - 4
EnstatiteClinochrysotile2 -3
LinobateFuchsite2 -3
MagnesiochromiteMuscovite2 -3
MoldavitePhosgenite2 -3
WillemiteShomiokite2 -3
Aeschynite5 - 6Amber2 -  2½
Bronzite5 - 6Cinnabar2 -  2½
Cancrinite5 - 6Ettringite2 -  2½
Catapleiite5 - 6Kämmererite2 -  2½
Ceruléite5 - 6Mellite2 -  2½
Clinoenstatite5 - 6Senarmontite2 -  2½
Davidite5 - 6Ulexite2 -  2½
Diopside5 - 6Villiaumite2 -  2½
Ferrosilite5 - 6Gypsum2
Hornblende5 - 6Stichtite1½  -  2½
Sulphur1½  -  2½
Covellite1½  -  2
Melonite1½  -  2
Realgar1½  -  2
Vivianite1½  -  2
Palygorskite1 - 2
Pyrophyllite1 - 2
Talc1

Source: Gemstones of the World, 3rd Edition, Walter Schumann.

Mohs hardness scale - Friedrich Mohs
"Friedrich Mohs" (1773-1839), creator of the Mohs hardness scale. Lithograph by Josef Kriehuber, 1832. The Peter Geymayer Collection. Public Domain.

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