What is Feldspars Mohs Scale Hardness? Insights on Mineral Durability

Well, if ya ever been out diggin’ around or scratchin’ things in the dirt, you might’ve heard folks talkin’ about how hard or soft a rock or mineral is. Well, there’s somethin’ called the Mohs scale that helps folks figure that out, though I tell ya, it ain’t too hard to understand once you get the hang of it.

Now, the Mohs scale is a way to measure how tough minerals are by seein’ which one can scratch another. The higher the number, the harder the mineral is. This scale goes from 1 to 10. The low end’s got the softest stuff, and the high end’s got the hardest. It was made by a feller named Friedrich Mohs, some German guy back in 1812. He figured out this way to rank minerals based on their scratchin’ ability, so folks could tell one from another without all that fancy equipment.

Let me tell ya about some minerals and where they fall on this here scale:

• Talc – Rank 1, the softest of ’em all, like a baby’s bottom, real easy to scratch with your fingernail.
• Gypsum – Rank 2, still pretty soft, but a bit tougher than talc. You can scratch it with a coin though.
• Calcite – Rank 3, harder than gypsum. You can scratch it with a knife or a piece of metal.
• Fluorite – Rank 4, a little tougher again, you’ll need a sharp object to scratch it.
• Apatite – Rank 5, now we’re gettin’ into some minerals that ain’t so easy to scratch. You’ll need something a little stronger for this one.
• Feldspar – Rank 6, and let me tell ya, this here’s a mighty important one, ’cause feldspar sets the standard for hardness number 6. It’s tougher than calcite but softer than quartz. You can scratch it with a knife, but it’s gonna take a bit of effort.
• Quartz – Rank 7, now this one’s real tough. If you ever got a rock that’s got quartz in it, you can bet it’s gonna be tough to scratch with just about anything.
• Topaz – Rank 8, tougher than quartz. You won’t be scratchin’ topaz with just anything you got around.
• Corundum – Rank 9, this one’s real tough. You can’t scratch corundum with no regular old knife or tool.
• Diamond – Rank 10, and ya know this one. Diamond’s the hardest there is. Ain’t no way to scratch this with nothin’ else.

Now, feldspar, which is sittin’ right there at a solid 6 on the Mohs scale, is one of the more common minerals you’ll come across. It’s hard enough that you won’t scratch it with just anything, but it ain’t so hard that it’ll wear down everything it touches. You’ll find feldspar in all sorts of places, from the dirt under your feet to the mountains in the distance. It’s used in all kinds of stuff, too, like in making glass and ceramics. It’s one of the minerals that makes up the big ol’ rocks you see in the earth, like granite. So, next time you’re out in the field and you see a rock, you might just want to scratch it with your knife and see if it’s got a little feldspar in it.

Feldspar’s hardness is right between steel and quartz, so it’s not too shabby when it comes to tough minerals. If you got a steel knife, it’ll scratch feldspar, but it ain’t gonna be easy. On the other hand, you won’t be scratchin’ it with a regular ol’ rock or a bit of dirt. Feldspar’s good for everything from making things like kitchenware to being in the rocks that make up the Earth’s crust. It’s strong but not too strong, just the way you need it for a lot of uses.

And folks use the Mohs scale all the time to figure out what kind of mineral they’re lookin’ at when they’re out workin’ in the field or just foolin’ around with rocks. It ain’t a perfect scale, but it sure is useful, especially when you don’t have no fancy tools with you. So, if you ever want to know if you’ve got some feldspar in your hand or if you’re just holdin’ a bit of quartz or calcite, all you gotta do is give it a scratch with something a little harder and see what happens. The Mohs scale’ll tell ya all you need to know!

So, next time you’re out there, remember: feldspar’s sittin’ pretty at a 6, and if it’s got a nice shine to it, it might just be your new favorite rock. And with the help of the Mohs scale, you won’t be left wonderin’ what’s what when you’re out diggin’ in the dirt.

Tags：[Feldspar, Mohs scale, mineral hardness, scratch resistance, quartz, geology, minerals, feldspar hardness, geology 101, minerals scale]