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Rocks & Minerals with a Mohs Hardness of 3

On the Mohs scale, hardness 3 is defined by calcite. The 60 rocks and minerals below fall at or within the 3 to 4 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 2Mohs 4Mohs 5Mohs 6Mohs 7Mohs 8Mohs 9Mohs 10

All hardness 3 minerals (60)

Pearl specimen: white and cream gemstonePearlMohs 3 · White streakMarble specimen: white and gray metamorphic rockMarbleMohs 3.5 · White streakAzurite specimen: deep blue and azure blue mineralAzuriteMohs 3.5 · Light blue streakRed Coral specimen: red and pink gemstoneRed CoralMohs 3.5 · White streakCalcite specimen: colorless and white mineralCalciteMohs 3 · White streakLimestone specimen: white and gray sedimentary rockLimestoneMohs 3 · White streakSlate specimen: gray and black metamorphic rockSlateMohs 3.5 · Variable; test individual minerals streakDolostone specimen: tan and gray sedimentary rockDolostoneMohs 3.5 · White streakSiltstone specimen: gray and tan sedimentary rockSiltstoneMohs 3.5 · Variable; often light gray to brown streakOolite specimen: white and cream sedimentary rockOoliteMohs 3 · White to light-colored streakCaliche specimen: white and cream sedimentary rockCalicheMohs 3 · White to pale tan streakAnhydrite specimen: colorless and white mineralAnhydriteMohs 3–3.5 · White streakAragonite specimen: colorless and white mineralAragoniteMohs 3.5–4 · White streakAstrophyllite specimen: golden-yellow and bronze mineralAstrophylliteMohs 3–3.5 · Brownish yellow streakAtacamite specimen: bright green and dark green mineralAtacamiteMohs 3–3.5 · Apple green streakBaryte specimen: colorless and white mineralBaryteMohs 3–3.5 · White 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 streakBornite specimen: copper red to brownish bronze (fresh) and iridescent purple-blue tarnish (peacock ore) mineralBorniteMohs 3–3.25 · Grayish black streakBrass specimen: yellow gold and brass yellow metalBrassMohs 3.5 · Yellow-gold to brass streakBreccia specimen: sedimentary rockBrecciaMohs 3.5 · Variable; test individual minerals streakBronze specimen: brown and bronze metalBronzeMohs 3 · Brownish gold to coppery streakCavansite specimen: bright blue and deep blue mineralCavansiteMohs 3–4 · Pale blue streakCelestine specimen: colorless and pale blue mineralCelestineMohs 3–3.5 · White streakCerussite specimen: colorless and white mineralCerussiteMohs 3–3.5 · White streakChalcocite specimen: blackish lead-gray and black mineralChalcociteMohs 2.5–3 · Dark gray to black streakChalcopyrite specimen: brass yellow and golden yellow mineralChalcopyriteMohs 3.5–4 · Greenish black streakClaystone specimen: gray and red sedimentary rockClaystoneMohs 2–3 · Dull, earthyConglomerate specimen: variegated and gray sedimentary rockConglomerateMohs 3–7 · Variable; dull matrix to vitreous clastsCopper specimen: copper red (fresh) and brown to green-black (tarnished) mineralCopperMohs 2.5–3 · Copper red, shiny streakCoquina specimen: white and tan sedimentary rockCoquinaMohs 3–4 · DullCrocoite specimen: bright orange-red and red mineralCrocoiteMohs 2.5–3 · Orange-yellow streakCryolite specimen: colorless and white mineralCryoliteMohs 2.5–3 · White streakCuprite specimen: red and dark red mineralCupriteMohs 3.5–4 · Brownish red streakDolomite specimen: white and gray sedimentary rockDolomiteMohs 3.5–4 · White streakGibbsite specimen: white and gray mineralGibbsiteMohs 2.5–3.5 · White streakGlauconite specimen: green and dark green mineralGlauconiteMohs 2–3 · Pale green streakHeulandite specimen: white and colorless mineralHeulanditeMohs 3.5–4 · White streakHowlite specimen: white with gray veining mineralHowliteMohs 3–3.5 · White streakJet specimen: black and dark brown gemstoneJetMohs 3 · Brown streakMimetite specimen: yellow and orange mineralMimetiteMohs 3.75 · White streakMudstone specimen: gray and brown sedimentary rockMudstoneMohs 2–3 · Dull, earthyMuscovite specimen: colorless and silvery white mineralMuscoviteMohs 2–4 · White streakPhyllite specimen: silvery gray and greenish gray metamorphic rockPhylliteMohs 2.5–4 · Silky to satiny (sericite/chlorite sheen)Pyromorphite specimen: green and yellow-green mineralPyromorphiteMohs 3.75 · White streakRhodochrosite specimen: pink and rose red mineralRhodochrositeMohs 3.75 · White streakRose Gold specimen: rose gold and pink gold metalRose GoldMohs 3 · Rose-gold metallic streakSchist specimen: silver-gray and golden (mica-rich) metamorphic rockSchistMohs 2.5–7 · Vitreous to silky/glittery (mica-rich)Serpentine specimen: green and yellowish green mineralSerpentineMohs 3.5 · White streakSerpentinite 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)Shungite specimen: black and dark gray sedimentary rockShungiteMohs 3.5 · Black streakSphalerite specimen: brown and black mineralSphaleriteMohs 3.75 · Brownish white to pale yellow streakStilbite specimen: white and pink mineralStilbiteMohs 3.75 · White streakTravertine specimen: white and cream sedimentary rockTravertineMohs 3–4 · White streakTuff specimen: light gray and tan igneous rockTuffMohs 2–5 · Dull to earthy; glassy shards may show vitreous lusterVanadinite specimen: red and orange mineralVanadiniteMohs 3 · Brownish yellow streakWavellite specimen: green and yellow mineralWavelliteMohs 3.75 · White streakWhite Gold specimen: white silver and pale gold metalWhite GoldMohs 3 · White metallic streakWulfenite specimen: orange and yellow mineralWulfeniteMohs 3 · White streak

Frequently asked questions

What common minerals have a hardness of 3?

Pearl, Marble, Azurite, Red Coral, and Calcite all sit at Mohs 3.

What scratches a mineral with hardness 3?

Anything harder on the Mohs scale: fluorite (hardness 4) and above. A copper coin (Mohs 3.5) scratches it, but a fingernail does not.

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