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Rocks & Minerals with a Mohs Hardness of 2

On the Mohs scale, hardness 2 is defined by gypsum. The 54 rocks and minerals below fall at or within the 2 to 3 band, so they scratch anything softer on this page and are scratched by anything harder.

Field test: A copper coin (Mohs 3.5) scratches it, but a fingernail does not.

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

Also browse:Mohs 1Mohs 3Mohs 4Mohs 5Mohs 6Mohs 7Mohs 8Mohs 9Mohs 10

All hardness 2 minerals (54)

Amber specimen: yellow and orange gemstoneAmberMohs 2.5 · White streakSelenite specimen: colorless and white mineralSeleniteMohs 2 · White streakChrysocolla specimen: blue-green and cyan mineralChrysocollaMohs 2.5 · White to pale blue streakSatin Spar specimen: white and cream mineralSatin SparMohs 2 · White streakLepidolite specimen: pink and purple mineralLepidoliteMohs 2.5 · White streakDesert Rose specimen: tan and brown mineralDesert RoseMohs 2 · White streakRock Salt specimen: clear and white sedimentary rockRock SaltMohs 2.5 · White streakAnthracite specimen: black and steel gray metamorphic rockAnthraciteMohs 2.5 · Black to dark gray streakEvaporite specimen: white and clear sedimentary rockEvaporiteMohs 2.5 · White streakMarl specimen: gray and cream sedimentary rockMarlMohs 2.5 · White to light gray streakAlabaster specimen: white and cream mineralAlabasterMohs 1.5–2 · White streakAluminum specimen: silver and light gray metalAluminumMohs 2.75 · Silvery gray 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 streakBiotite specimen: black and dark brown mineralBiotiteMohs 2.5–3 · White to gray streakBismuth specimen: silvery white and pinkish iridescent tarnish (yellow, red, blue hues) mineralBismuthMohs 2–2.5 · Silvery gray streakBorax specimen: white and colorless mineralBoraxMohs 2–2.5 · White streakBrucite specimen: white and pale green mineralBruciteMohs 2.5 · White streakChalcocite specimen: blackish lead-gray and black mineralChalcociteMohs 2.5–3 · Dark gray to black streakChalk specimen: white and pale gray sedimentary rockChalkMohs 1–2 · White streakChlorite specimen: green and dark green mineralChloriteMohs 2–2.5 · Pale green to white streakCinnabar specimen: red and brownish red mineralCinnabarMohs 2–2.5 · Scarlet red streakClaystone specimen: gray and red sedimentary rockClaystoneMohs 2–3 · Dull, earthyCoal specimen: black and brownish black sedimentary rockCoalMohs 1–2.5 · Black to brownish black streakCopper specimen: copper red (fresh) and brown to green-black (tarnished) mineralCopperMohs 2.5–3 · Copper red, shiny streakCovellite specimen: indigo blue and blue-black mineralCovelliteMohs 1.5–2 · Lead-gray to black streakCrocoite specimen: bright orange-red and red mineralCrocoiteMohs 2.5–3 · Orange-yellow streakCryolite specimen: colorless and white mineralCryoliteMohs 2.5–3 · White streakErythrite specimen: pink and crimson red mineralErythriteMohs 1.5–2.5 · Pale pink to pale red streakGalena specimen: lead-gray and silvery gray mineralGalenaMohs 2.5 · Lead-gray streakGibbsite specimen: white and gray mineralGibbsiteMohs 2.5–3.5 · White streakGlauconite specimen: green and dark green mineralGlauconiteMohs 2–3 · Pale green streakGold specimen: gold and yellow mineralGoldMohs 2.5 · Golden yellow streakGraphite specimen: black and steel-gray mineralGraphiteMohs 1–2 · Black, shiny gray-black streakGypsum specimen: colorless and white mineralGypsumMohs 2 · White streakHalite specimen: colorless and white mineralHaliteMohs 2–2.5 · White streakKaolinite specimen: white and cream mineralKaoliniteMohs 2 · White streakMudstone specimen: gray and brown sedimentary rockMudstoneMohs 2–3 · Dull, earthyMuscovite specimen: colorless and silvery white mineralMuscoviteMohs 2–4 · White streakPewter specimen: dull silver and gray metalPewterMohs 2.5 · Gray streakPhlogopite specimen: brown and yellow mineralPhlogopiteMohs 2.75 · White streakPhyllite specimen: silvery gray and greenish gray metamorphic rockPhylliteMohs 2.5–4 · Silky to satiny (sericite/chlorite sheen)Schist specimen: silver-gray and golden (mica-rich) metamorphic rockSchistMohs 2.5–7 · Vitreous to silky/glittery (mica-rich)Serpentinite specimen: green and dark green metamorphic rockSerpentiniteMohs 2.5–4 · White streakShale specimen: gray and black sedimentary rockShaleMohs 2–3 · Dull to earthy (slightly sub-vitreous if micaceous)Silver specimen: silver white and gray mineralSilverMohs 2.75 · Silver white streakSoapstone specimen: gray and green metamorphic rockSoapstoneMohs 1–2.5 · White streakSterling Silver specimen: silver and white silver metalSterling SilverMohs 2.7 · Silver-white streakStibnite specimen: lead gray and steel gray mineralStibniteMohs 2 · Lead gray streakSulfur specimen: yellow and bright yellow mineralSulfurMohs 2 · White to pale yellow streakSylvite specimen: colorless and white mineralSylviteMohs 2 · White streakTuff specimen: light gray and tan igneous rockTuffMohs 2–5 · Dull to earthy; glassy shards may show vitreous lusterUlexite specimen: white and colorless mineralUlexiteMohs 2.5 · White streakZinc specimen: bluish silver and gray metalZincMohs 2.5 · Gray streak

Frequently asked questions

What common minerals have a hardness of 2?

Amber, Selenite, Chrysocolla, Satin Spar, and Lepidolite all sit at Mohs 2.

What scratches a mineral with hardness 2?

Anything harder on the Mohs scale: calcite (hardness 3) and above. A copper coin (Mohs 3.5) scratches it, but a fingernail does not.

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