Benni Ellis-Goertler

Computers

11/8/2018

Mineral hardness

Hardness Name Picture Uses

Industrial Uses for
Diamonds. Adding
diamond dust to a
diamond polishing
wheel. The most
10 Diamond common uses for
diamonds outside
of fine jewelry are
for industrial
applications.
Because diamonds
are so strong
(scoring a 10 on
the Mohs Hardness
Scale), they are
extremely effective
at polishing,
cutting, and drilling
Corundum uses are
based on its
exceptional
hardness. Its
hardness is 9 on
9 Corundum Mohs hardness
scale. Which
means that there
are only several
harder materials
known to man
(diamonds and
moissanite for
example). The
corundum mineral
is commonly used
as an abrasive.
Topaz is a
popular
gemstone. The
most common
use for topaz is
8 Topaz as a gemstone in
jewelry. Topaz is
a hard gemstone,
but this hardness
also increases its
tendency to
break. Because
of this, topaz is
typically used for
jewelry that will
not be knocked
around or come
in contact with
hard surfaces.
 Quartz is used in
radios, radar,
sound equipment
and television. It's
also used in the
7 Quartz mechanism for
watches. The
mineral's versatility
comes about
because it has
piezoelectric
qualities.
Orthoclase is used
in the manufacture
of glass and
ceramics;
occasionally,
transparent
crystals are cut as
gems. Orthoclase is
6 Orthoclase
primarily important
as a rock-forming
mineral, however,
and is abundant in
alkali and acidic
igneous rocks, in
pegmatite’s, and in
gneisses
Apatite is the
name of a group
of phosphate
minerals with
similar chemical
compositions and
physical
5 Apatite properties. They
are an important
constituent of
phosphorite, a
rock mined for its
phosphorus
content and used
to make
fertilizers, acids,
and chemicals.
4 Fluorite Fluorite is a
colorful mineral,
both in visible and
ultraviolet light,
and the stone has
ornamental and
lapidary uses.
Industrially,
fluorite is used as a
flux for smelting,
and in the
production of
certain glasses and
enamels
 The properties of
calcite make it one
of the most widely
used minerals. It is
used as a
construction
material, abrasive,
agricultural soil
3 treatment,
Calcite construction
aggregate,
pigment,
pharmaceutical
and more. It has
more uses than
almost any other
mineral. Calcite in
the form of oolitic
limestone from
Bedford, Indiana.
Gypsum uses
include:
manufacture of
wallboard, cement,
plaster of Paris, soil
conditioning, a
hardening retarder
in portland
2 Gypsum
cement. Varieties
of gypsum known
as "satin spar" and
"alabaster" are
used for a variety
of ornamental
purposes;
however, their low
hardness limits
their durability.
Talc is used in
many industries,
including paper
making, plastic,
paint and coatings,
rubber, food,
electric cable,
pharmaceuticals,
cosmetics, and
1 Talc ceramics. A coarse
grayish-green high-
talc rock is
soapstone or
steatite, used for
stoves, sinks,
electrical
switchboards,
crayons, soap, etc.