The Hardness

What is the hardness of a mineral?

Definition

It refers to a material’s resistance to scratching. It is one of the most important physical properties for evaluating the durability of a gemstone. The hardness of a stone is measured according to the Mohs scale, which classifies minerals from 1 to 10, with 1 being the lowest hardness (for example, talc) and 10 the highest (diamond).

Mohs Hardness scale
Mohs Hardness scale © Arvernes-Gemmes