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What are the softest and hardest minerals?

Question #24847. Asked by Uncommon sense.

Friar Tuck
Answer has 15 votes
Friar Tuck

Answer has 15 votes.
Talc is the softest according to link http://jersey.uoregon.edu/~mstrick/AskGeoMan/geoQuerry20.html

On the Mohs' scale, the softest mineral, talc, is rated 1 and the hardest mineral, the diamond, is rated 10.

Dec 05 2002, 8:11 AM
hummerh3
Answer has 19 votes
Currently Best Answer
hummerh3
21 year member
78 replies

Answer has 19 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.
The Mohs Hardness Scale:
1 Talc (softest)
2 Gypsum
3 Calcite
4 Fluorite
5 Apatite
6 Orthoclase
7 Quartz
8 Topaz
9 Corundum
10 Diamond
Additional references:
link http://www.amfed.org/t_mohs.htm
link http://geology.about.com/library/bl/blmohsscale.htm?once=true&
There are many other sites about the Mohs scale.

Mar 08 2004, 7:04 PM
hummerh3
Answer has 8 votes
hummerh3
21 year member
78 replies

Answer has 8 votes.
The differences in hardness on the Mohs scale vary. On the absolute scale, the difference of hardness between diamond and corundum is more than all the way from talc to corundum.

Mar 09 2004, 5:24 PM
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