The Mohs scale of mineral hardness was once upon a time little more than a wooden box. This wooden box had ten compartments and inside each one contained a numbered mineral specimen. Then each mineral was tested by seeing which minerals can visibly scratch the others. Despite its lack of precision, the Mohs scale is still highly relevant…
![Diamond](https://i0.wp.com/theverybesttop10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Top-10-Mohs-Scale-Degrees-of-Hardness-10-510x388.jpg?resize=600%2C456)
Mohs Hardness: 10 – Diamond (Absolute Hardness: 1600)
The Mohs scale was created in 1812 by German geologist and mineralogist Friedrich Mohs and is still used by field geologists today.
![Corundum](https://i0.wp.com/theverybesttop10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Top-10-Mohs-Scale-Degrees-of-Hardness-9-510x449.jpg?resize=600%2C528)
Mohs Hardness: 9 – Corundum (Absolute Hardness: 400)
While helping with the identification of minerals in the field, the Mohs scale doesn’t really show how well hard materials perform in industrial uses.
![Topaz](https://i0.wp.com/theverybesttop10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Top-10-Mohs-Scale-Degrees-of-Hardness-8.jpg?resize=600%2C487)
Mohs Hardness: 8 – Topaz (Absolute Hardness: 200)
The Mohs scale is a purely ordinal scale. For example, corundum is twice as hard as topaz. So that is why I included the ‘Absolute Hardness’ scale.
![Quartz](https://i0.wp.com/theverybesttop10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Top-10-Mohs-Scale-Degrees-of-Hardness-7-510x412.jpg?resize=600%2C485)
Mohs Hardness: 7 – Quartz (Absolute Hardness: 100)
Quartz is found in sand and gravel and is a very hard mineral with a tough crystal shape structure. Also used by a lot of stone healers and meditators.
[adinserter block=”7″]
![Orthoclase feldspar](https://i0.wp.com/theverybesttop10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Top-10-Mohs-Scale-Degrees-of-Hardness-6.jpg?resize=600%2C470&ssl=1)
Mohs Hardness: 6 – Orthoclase feldspar (Absolute Hardness: 72)
Found mostly in Kenya, Orthoclase feldspar is hard to spot due to it being almost identical in physical properties to other minerals.
![Apatite](https://i0.wp.com/theverybesttop10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Top-10-Mohs-Scale-Degrees-of-Hardness-5.jpg?resize=600%2C738&ssl=1)
Mohs Hardness: 5 – Apatite (Absolute Hardness: 48)
Apatite is the most common phosphate mineral and is found in the bones and teeth of most animals, including us humans!
![Fluorite](https://i0.wp.com/theverybesttop10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Top-10-Mohs-Scale-Degrees-of-Hardness-4-510x540.jpg?resize=600%2C635)
Mohs Hardness: 4 – Fluorite (Absolute Hardness: 21)
Fluorite is a mineral made up of calcium and fluoride. Unlike its components, it can come in every single colour under the rainbow!
![Calcite](https://i0.wp.com/theverybesttop10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Top-10-Mohs-Scale-Degrees-of-Hardness-11-510x414.jpg?resize=600%2C487)
Mohs Hardness: 3 – Calcite (Absolute Hardness: 9)
Fluorite is usually mined from deep underground and it one of the most abundant minerals in the Earths crust.
[adinserter block=”8″]
![Gypsum](https://i0.wp.com/theverybesttop10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Top-10-Mohs-Scale-Degrees-of-Hardness-2.jpg?resize=600%2C624&ssl=1)
Mohs Hardness: 2 – Gypsum (Absolute Hardness: 3)
Although gypsum is a mineral that might be able to exist as a sedimentary rock, but much like its name that means chalk it is very fragile.
![Talc](https://i0.wp.com/theverybesttop10.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Top-10-Mohs-Scale-Degrees-of-Hardness-1.jpg?resize=600%2C534&ssl=1)
Mohs Hardness: 1 – Talc (Absolute Hardness: 1)
In case you were wondering, yes, it really is Talc the mineral that is crushed into powder to form talcum powder. Minerals for you and your baby.