Marble On The Hardness Scale

An example of the hardness of a granite countertop can be seen in the fact that a knife blade will not scratch the surface.

Marble on the hardness scale.

It can also be used for metal. Depending on the limestone and the mineral combination within the marble most marble rates from three to five on the mohs hardness scale. This means that marble is less scratch resistant than granite. Marble has a mohs hardness scale rating between 3 4.

As a result marble is easy to carve and that makes it useful for producing sculptures and ornamental objects. If you check granite hardness on the mohs scale you will find it harder than marble and softer than quartzite. When black granite is measured on the mohs scale it falls somewhere between 6 and 7. On average it is 6 5.

The translucence of marble makes it especially attractive for many types of sculptures. In simple words soapstone is the softest material and diamond is the hardest material. Because granite is between a 6 and 7 on the mohs scale it would be able to scratch other types of stone that have lower ratings such as marble. Marble is limestone that has been compacted and heated over millions of years.

Created in 1812 by german geologist and mineralogist friedrich mohs it is one of several definitions of hardness in materials science some of which are more quantitative. As a result marble is less porous and slightly stronger than limestone but still less durable than granite. For example a diamond can scratch granite while granite can scratch marble. Hardness is determined by the ability of one mineral to scratch another.