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Rocks & Minerals with a Mohs Hardness of 1

On the Mohs scale, hardness 1 is defined by talc. The 18 rocks and minerals below fall at or within the 1 to 2 band, so they scratch anything softer on this page and are scratched by anything harder.

Field test: A fingernail (Mohs 2.5) scratches it easily.

Hardness is a range for many species, so an entry listed here may also appear at the neighboring level.

Also browse:Mohs 2Mohs 3Mohs 4Mohs 5Mohs 6Mohs 7Mohs 8Mohs 9Mohs 10

All hardness 1 minerals (18)

Diatomite specimen: white and cream sedimentary rockDiatomiteMohs 1.5 · White streakAlabaster specimen: white and cream mineralAlabasterMohs 1.5–2 · White streakAurichalcite specimen: pale green and blue-green mineralAurichalciteMohs 1–2 · Pale blue-green streakBauxite specimen: reddish brown and tan mineralBauxiteMohs 1–3 · White to yellowish streakChalk specimen: white and pale gray sedimentary rockChalkMohs 1–2 · White streakCoal specimen: black and brownish black sedimentary rockCoalMohs 1–2.5 · Black to brownish black streakCovellite specimen: indigo blue and blue-black mineralCovelliteMohs 1.5–2 · Lead-gray to black streakErythrite specimen: pink and crimson red mineralErythriteMohs 1.5–2.5 · Pale pink to pale red streakGraphite specimen: black and steel-gray mineralGraphiteMohs 1–2 · Black, shiny gray-black streakLead specimen: bluish gray and dark gray metalLeadMohs 1.5 · Lead gray streakMolybdenite specimen: lead gray and bluish gray mineralMolybdeniteMohs 1.25 · Bluish gray streakOrpiment specimen: lemon yellow and golden yellow mineralOrpimentMohs 1.75 · Pale lemon yellow streakPyrophyllite specimen: white and gray mineralPyrophylliteMohs 1.5 · White streakRealgar specimen: red and orange-red mineralRealgarMohs 1.75 · Orange-red to yellow-orange streakSoapstone specimen: gray and green metamorphic rockSoapstoneMohs 1–2.5 · White streakTalc specimen: white and pale green mineralTalcMohs 1 · White streakTin specimen: silver and gray metalTinMohs 1.5 · Silver-gray streakVivianite specimen: blue and green mineralVivianiteMohs 1.75 · Bluish white streak

Frequently asked questions

What common minerals have a hardness of 1?

Diatomite, Alabaster, Aurichalcite, Bauxite, and Chalk all sit at Mohs 1.

What scratches a mineral with hardness 1?

Anything harder on the Mohs scale: gypsum (hardness 2) and above. A fingernail (Mohs 2.5) scratches it easily.

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