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Rocks & Minerals with a Mohs Hardness of 6

On the Mohs scale, hardness 6 is defined by orthoclase feldspar. The 96 rocks and minerals below fall at or within the 6 to 7 band, so they scratch anything softer on this page and are scratched by anything harder.

Field test: It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file.

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

Also browse:Mohs 1Mohs 2Mohs 3Mohs 4Mohs 5Mohs 7Mohs 8Mohs 9Mohs 10

All hardness 6 minerals (96)

Tanzanite specimen: blue and violet gemstoneTanzaniteMohs 6.5 · White streakTurquoise specimen: blue and blue-green mineralTurquoiseMohs 6 · White to pale green streakLabradorite specimen: gray and blue flash mineralLabradoriteMohs 6 · White streakMoonstone specimen: white and gray gemstoneMoonstoneMohs 6 · White streakPyrite specimen: brass yellow and pale gold mineralPyriteMohs 6.5 · Greenish-black streakPeridot specimen: yellow-green and olive green gemstonePeridotMohs 6.5 · White streakAmazonite specimen: blue-green and turquoise mineralAmazoniteMohs 6 · White streakGranite specimen: pink and gray igneous rockGraniteMohs 6.5 · Variable; test individual minerals streakRhodonite specimen: pink and rose mineralRhodoniteMohs 6 · White streakHematite specimen: metallic gray and black mineralHematiteMohs 6 · Red to reddish-brown streakBasalt specimen: black and dark gray igneous rockBasaltMohs 6 · Variable; test individual minerals streakMookaite specimen: yellow and red sedimentary rockMookaiteMohs 6.5 · White streakSandstone specimen: tan and brown sedimentary rockSandstoneMohs 6 · Variable; test individual minerals streakUnakite specimen: pink and green mottled and salmon metamorphic rockUnakiteMohs 6.5 · Variable; test individual minerals streakLarvikite specimen: dark gray and blue gray igneous rockLarvikiteMohs 6 · White to light gray streakBasaltic Andesite specimen: dark gray and black igneous rockBasaltic AndesiteMohs 6 · Gray to dark gray streakGraywacke specimen: dark gray and greenish gray sedimentary rockGraywackeMohs 6 · Gray to dark gray streakHornfels specimen: gray and black metamorphic rockHornfelsMohs 6 · Variable; usually pale gray streakAnorthosite specimen: white and gray igneous rockAnorthositeMohs 6 · White to pale gray streakTrachyte specimen: light gray and tan igneous rockTrachyteMohs 6 · Light gray to white streakArkose specimen: pink and red sedimentary rockArkoseMohs 6 · Variable; usually light-colored streakIgnimbrite specimen: tan and pink igneous rockIgnimbriteMohs 6 · Variable; often light gray or tan streakMetaconglomerate specimen: gray and white metamorphic rockMetaconglomerateMohs 6.5 · Variable by pebbles and matrix streakMonzonite specimen: gray and pink igneous rockMonzoniteMohs 6 · Variable; usually light gray streakTonalite specimen: white and gray igneous rockTonaliteMohs 6 · White to light gray streakAplite specimen: white and pink igneous rockApliteMohs 6 · White to pale pink streakNorite specimen: black and dark gray igneous rockNoriteMohs 6 · Gray to white streakPhonolite specimen: gray and greenish gray igneous rockPhonoliteMohs 6 · Light gray to white streakTephrite specimen: dark gray and black igneous rockTephriteMohs 6 · Gray to dark gray streakActinolite specimen: green and dark green mineralActinoliteMohs 5–6 · White streakAegirine specimen: dark green and black mineralAegirineMohs 6–6.5 · Pale green to grayish yellow streakAlbite specimen: white and colorless mineralAlbiteMohs 6–6.5 · White streakAndalusite specimen: reddish brown and olive green mineralAndalusiteMohs 6.5–7.5 · White streakAndesite specimen: gray and dark gray igneous rockAndesiteMohs 5–6 · Dull groundmass with vitreous phenocrystsAndradite specimen: yellow-green (demantoid) and brown mineralAndraditeMohs 6.5–7 · White streakArsenopyrite specimen: silver-white and steel-gray mineralArsenopyriteMohs 5.5–6 · Dark grayish black streakAugite specimen: black and dark green mineralAugiteMohs 5.5–6 · Grayish green to colorless streakAventurine specimen: green and blue mineralAventurineMohs 6.5–7 · White streakAxinite specimen: clove-brown and violet-brown mineralAxiniteMohs 6.5–7 · White streakBanded Iron Formation specimen: red and reddish brown sedimentary rockBanded Iron FormationMohs 5–7 · Reddish brown (from hematite-rich layers) streakBenitoite specimen: blue and colorless mineralBenitoiteMohs 6–6.5 · White streakCassiterite specimen: brown and black mineralCassiteriteMohs 6–7 · White to grayish brown streakChalcedony specimen: blue-gray and white mineralChalcedonyMohs 6.5–7 · White streakCharoite specimen: lilac and purple mineralCharoiteMohs 5–6 · White streakChert specimen: gray and white sedimentary rockChertMohs 6.5–7 · Waxy to dullChiastolite specimen: gray and brown mineralChiastoliteMohs 6.5–7.5 · White streakChrysoprase specimen: apple-green and green (sometimes with darker spots) mineralChrysopraseMohs 6.5–7 · White streakConglomerate specimen: variegated and gray sedimentary rockConglomerateMohs 3–7 · Variable; dull matrix to vitreous clastsDacite specimen: gray and light gray igneous rockDaciteMohs 6–7 · Dull to vitreousDiabase specimen: igneous rockDiabaseMohs 6 · Variable; test individual minerals streakDiaspore specimen: colorless and white mineralDiasporeMohs 6.5–7 · White streakDiopside specimen: light to dark green and white mineralDiopsideMohs 5.5–6.5 · White streakDiorite specimen: salt-and-pepper gray and dark gray igneous rockDioriteMohs 6–7 · Vitreous to dull (granular)Dunite specimen: olive green and yellowish green igneous rockDuniteMohs 6.5–7 · Vitreous (olivine grains)Eclogite specimen: green (omphacite) and red (garnet) metamorphic rockEclogiteMohs 6–7.5 · Vitreous (garnet and omphacite grains)Epidote specimen: pistachio green and yellowish green mineralEpidoteMohs 6–7 · White to grayish streakFeldspar specimen: white and pink mineralFeldsparMohs 6–6.5 · White streakFlint specimen: black and dark gray sedimentary rockFlintMohs 6.5–7 · Waxy to dull, glassy on fresh fractureForsterite specimen: pale yellow-green and olive green mineralForsteriteMohs 6.5–7 · White streakFranklinite specimen: black and brownish black mineralFrankliniteMohs 5.5–6.5 · Reddish brown to black streakGabbro specimen: dark gray and black igneous rockGabbroMohs 5–6.5 · Dull to vitreous (in crystals)Gneiss specimen: gray and pink metamorphic rockGneissMohs 6–7 · Vitreous to glimmering (mica-rich bands)Granodiorite specimen: light gray and gray igneous rockGranodioriteMohs 6–7 · Vitreous to dull (mixed mineral grains)Grossular specimen: colorless and green mineralGrossularMohs 6.5–7.5 · White streakHauyne specimen: blue and sky blue mineralHauyneMohs 5.5–6 · Pale blue streakHessonite specimen: orange-brown and cinnamon mineralHessoniteMohs 6.5–7 · White streakHornblende specimen: black and dark green mineralHornblendeMohs 5–6 · Pale gray to colorless streakJadeite specimen: green and white gemstoneJadeiteMohs 6.75 · White streakKimberlite specimen: blue-gray ('blue ground') and yellow ('yellow ground', weathered) igneous rockKimberliteMohs 5–6.5 · Dull to vitreousMagnetite specimen: black and iron-black mineralMagnetiteMohs 5.5–6.5 · Black streakMarcasite specimen: pale brass yellow and tin white mineralMarcasiteMohs 6 · Dark greenish gray to brownish black streakMicrocline specimen: white and cream mineralMicroclineMohs 6 · White streakMigmatite specimen: pink and black and light and dark layered metamorphic rockMigmatiteMohs 5–7 · Vitreous to dull (banded)Moss Agate specimen: colorless and white gemstoneMoss AgateMohs 6.75 · White streakNepheline specimen: colorless and white mineralNephelineMohs 6 · White streakOlivine specimen: olive green and yellowish green mineralOlivineMohs 6.5–7 · White streakOnyx specimen: mineralOnyxMohs 6.5–7 · White streakOrthoclase specimen: colorless and white mineralOrthoclaseMohs 6 · White streakPegmatite specimen: pink and white igneous rockPegmatiteMohs 6–7 · Vitreous (large crystal faces)Peridotite specimen: green and dark green igneous rockPeridotiteMohs 5.5–7 · Vitreous (olivine and pyroxene grains)Porphyry specimen: purple and red igneous rockPorphyryMohs 5–7 · Dull to vitreousPrehnite specimen: green and yellow-green mineralPrehniteMohs 6.25 · White streakPumice specimen: white and light gray igneous rockPumiceMohs 5–6 · Dull to glassyPyrolusite specimen: black and steel gray mineralPyrolusiteMohs 6.25 · Black to bluish black streakRhyolite specimen: pink and gray igneous rockRhyoliteMohs 5.5–7 · Dull to vitreous (glassy groundmass)Rutile specimen: reddish brown and black mineralRutileMohs 6.5 · Pale brown to yellowish streakScapolite specimen: white and pink mineralScapoliteMohs 6 · White streakSchist specimen: silver-gray and golden (mica-rich) metamorphic rockSchistMohs 2.5–7 · Vitreous to silky/glittery (mica-rich)Scoria specimen: dark red and black igneous rockScoriaMohs 5–6 · Dull, glassySpodumene specimen: pink and lilac mineralSpodumeneMohs 6.75 · White streakSugilite specimen: purple and violet mineralSugiliteMohs 6 · White streakSunstone specimen: orange and red gemstoneSunstoneMohs 6.5 · White streakSyenite specimen: gray and pink igneous rockSyeniteMohs 5.5–6.5 · Vitreous (feldspar crystals)Titanium specimen: silver and gray metalTitaniumMohs 6 · Silver-gray streakVesuvianite specimen: green and brown mineralVesuvianiteMohs 6.5 · White streakZoisite specimen: green and pink mineralZoisiteMohs 6.5 · White streak

Frequently asked questions

What common minerals have a hardness of 6?

Tanzanite, Turquoise, Labradorite, Moonstone, and Pyrite all sit at Mohs 6.

What scratches a mineral with hardness 6?

Anything harder on the Mohs scale: quartz (hardness 7) and above. It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file.

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