What is the strongest stone in the world?

A person evaluates the strength of a material to understand how long a thing will last. When it comes to stone, attention is paid to its hardness. The higher it is, the stronger the gem and the longer it will retain its properties. Only 1 stone was included among the most durable minerals, but scientists have published a more extensive list.

The hardest stone in the world

To assess the strength of minerals, a 10-point Mohs table and an absolute scale of linear hardness are used. In both grading systems, diamond was indicated as the hardest stone. But a natural gem without internal defects was taken as the standard.

In the 20th century, gemologists supplemented the list of Mohs reference samples with types of gems with intermediate hardness values. Now they are considering 1 degrees of strength: from 10 to 1,5 plus positions 9,5–0,5 (XNUMX points added to the whole number).

Among jewelry, the first place is occupied by a diamond – the same natural diamond, only already cut. This is the hardest stone. Jewelers use specimens without hidden cracks or impurities, and a properly executed cut imparts strength. Recent research has confirmed that there are harder gems on earth. Artificially synthesized diamond is stronger than its natural counterpart. Among the rocks of natural origin, lonsdaleite and wurtzite-like boron nitride are called the most durable. In the lists of polymer crystals, fullerite took first place.

The most durable natural gem

• black;
• colorless;
• yellow;
• red;
• blue;
• brown;
• green.

A colorless diamond is considered the strongest (due to the absence of impurities). Friedrich Mohs called it the standard of hardness and gave it 10 points. On the absolute scale of linear strength, the value is 1500. The gem easily scratches materials such as tempered glass and damages the surface of sapphire, ruby ​​and other less durable rocks.

• chemical formula – C (consists of carbon, there is an admixture of nitrogen – N);
• when kept in a vacuum for a long time, it degenerates into graphite;
• color does not change when lighting changes;
• the fracture surface is uneven and splintered;
• physical properties – transparent, with a diamond shine;
• luminescence – blue, green, red and yellow reflections appear under solar or X-ray rays.

Samples unsuitable for jewelry are used in the manufacture of tips, discs, cutters, and other diamond-coated tools. They process softer natural and artificial materials.

The strongest synthetic stone

In places where meteorites fall with graphite, crystals called hexagonal diamonds are found. They are 50–58% harder than diamond.

Due to the tiny amount of natural hexagonal diamonds, the stones began to be synthesized. The artificially grown gem was named lonsdaleite, named after the crystallographer Kathleen Lonsdale.

• the carbon lattice consists of 6 atoms;
• collapses under pressure of 150 GPa;
• obtained by compressing graphite at high temperatures.

Lonsdaleites are not used in decoration or industry due to the high financial costs of cultivation. Scientists are working to make synthesis cheaper.

Other record holders for hardness among minerals

In second place after hexagonal diamond is wurtzite (wurtzite-shaped) boron nitride. The strong crystal is 18% harder than diamond. They are rarely found in nature; they are found in places of volcanic eruptions. The stone is synthesized by combining boron with nitrogen. Used for the manufacture of polishing and grinding tools.

Hard stones according to Mohs with hardness indicators (in points):

• sapphire corundum – 9;
• ruby corundum – 9;
• topaz – 8.

In scales with intermediate indicators, the strongest is called moissanite or its synthesized analog carborundum. Their hardness is 9,5 points (0,5 less than diamond).

Other strong stones with an intermediate value (in points):

• granite – 6,5;
• tourmaline – 7–7,5;
• tungsten, spinel – 7,5–8,5;
• alexandrite – 8,5.

Mineralogists know 4000 types of stones. But according to the Mohs scale, they are all divided into 3 groups: soft, medium strength and the strongest. The first include breeds with a value below 4 points. The second contains minerals with an index of 4–6. The last group includes diamond, lonsdaleite and other stones with an index above 7.

What strong minerals do you know? Share information, comment on the article, repost on social networks. All the best.

Precious stones are one of the most amazing and beautiful creations of nature on our planet. They arose as a result of complex geological processes millions of years ago and attract attention due to their unsurpassed beauty, unique properties and significance for many branches of science and industry.

Today there are more than five thousand different minerals on Earth, and some of them are so rare and unique that they have become luxury items. In this article we will look at ten of the most expensive and rare stones in the world, which attract the attention of not only collectors, but also businessmen for the purpose of long-term investment. Each of these minerals is unique, and their prices per gram can reach tens of thousands of dollars. They are used in jewelry, electronics, medicine and other fields, and also have a unique historical and cultural context.

10. Benitoite ($4000 per carat)

Benitoite is a gemstone that was first discovered in San Benito, California, USA in 1907. It was named after the place where it was discovered. This mineral has a light blue or violet-blue color and is mainly used in jewelry. Benitoite is considered relatively rare, as it is found only in a few places on the planet (USA, Mexico, Japan, Australia, South Africa).

It is mainly found in light-colored basaltic rocks in the form of individual crystals or clusters, sometimes combined with other minerals such as nepheline, augite and tourmaline. The high price of benitoite is due to the fact that it is mined only in small quantities, mostly by hand, and its crystals have excellent optical properties.

9. Red Beryl ($10 per carat)

Red beryl, also known as beryl emerald, is a rare stone from the beryl group. Its red-pink color is due to impurities of manganese, rarely iron, zinc and titanium oxides. This mineral is found only in small quantities in a few places in the United States, but gem-quality stones are only mined in Utah at Mount Wahuna.

Despite its beauty and rarity, red beryl is not as widely known as some other gemstones such as diamonds, emeralds and sapphires. However, it is in demand among collectors and connoisseurs of rare minerals.

8. Black Opal ($12 per carat)

Black opal is a variety of opal with a dark texture and many colorful inclusions within the stone. This coloring is due to the presence of carbonate, pyrite, magnetite and hematite in the composition.

Opal is quite widespread on Earth, but it is black opal that is highly valued, which is mined mainly in Australia and is the national gemstone of this country.

The price of black opal stones varies greatly depending on their size and quality. They can cost anywhere from a few dollars per carat to tens of thousands of dollars per carat for the highest quality stones.

7. Alexandrite ($13 per carat)

Alexandrite is a rare variety of chrysoberyl that changes color under different lighting conditions. In natural light, alexandrite has a greenish-blue color, while in artificial light it appears reddish-violet. It is named after Alexander II, who became Emperor of the Russian Empire on the day the first samples of this mineral were found in 1830 in the Ural Mountains.

For more than a century, alexandrite was mined only in Russia, and only in the late 80s it was discovered in the mines of Brazil and Sri Lanka. For some time, the jewelry transnational company Tiffany had a complete monopoly on the manufacture of alexandrite jewelry.

6. Diamond ($15 per carat)

Diamond is one of the most famous and valuable gemstones in the world. It consists of carbon that was exposed to abnormally high pressure and temperature in the earth’s crust, causing it to crystallize. Diamond has a high refractive power, thanks to which its radiance and brilliance are incredibly beautiful. It is also the hardest existing mineral in the world.

Diamonds are classified into different grades based on their quality, which is determined by color, clarity, weight and cut. The higher the quality of the diamond, the higher its value. This stone is considered a symbol of love, so it is often used in the making of wedding rings.

5. Serendibit ($20 per carat)

Serendibite is an extremely rare silicate mineral that was first discovered in 1902 in Sri Lanka by Dunil Palitha Gunasekera and named after Serendibite, the ancient Arabic name for the state. It is dark green or black in color and is found in metamorphic rocks.

This gemstone is also important in geology because it can serve as an indicator of the conditions under which the rock in which it is found was formed. Serendibite can also be used in jewelry, but its use in this area is very limited due to the fragility of the stone.

4. Grandidierite ($22 per carat)

Grandidierite is a fairly rare stone named after the French geologist Alphonse Grandidier. It was first discovered in 1902 in Madagascar. Grandidierite has a greenish-blue or greenish-gray color, sometimes with a purple tint.

Grandidierite belongs to the class of nezosilicates, which also includes minerals containing iron with a tetrahedral atomic structure, such as topaz, garnets and willemite. Its price is greatly influenced by its color – the most beautiful stones are valued at several tens of thousands of dollars per carat.

3. Taaffeite ($37 per carat)

Taaffeite is a stone containing magnesium, beryllium and aluminum. The mineral was discovered by Irishman Richard Taaffe, who thought it was spinel and decided to polish it. Taaffeite can come in a variety of colors such as purple, pink, red, green, yellow and even colorless.

Although low-quality taaffeite is common throughout the world, the gemstones are only mined in Tanzania and Sri Lanka. Despite its similarity to spinel, taaffeite has its own unique composition and is still so rare that it is used exclusively in jewelry.

2. Red diamond ($1 million per carat)

A red diamond is a very rare and precious stone that is known for its vibrant red color. It is one of the rarest types of diamonds, and most known examples do not exceed 1 carat in weight. It was first discovered in Africa in the early twentieth century and is still considered one of the most valuable minerals in the world.

Like other diamonds, the red diamond is used in jewelry to create jewelry such as rings, earrings, and necklaces. The price of red diamonds can reach several million dollars per carat, depending on the quality of the stone and its size.

1. Jadeite ($3 million per carat)

Jadeite is considered the most expensive gemstone in the world, as the price of jewelry made from it can reach $3 million per carat. It is found in various places around the world, but is best known in Myanmar, China and New Zealand.

Jadeite can come in a wide range of colors, but is most often found in shades of green and white. This mineral only forms in flood zones on continental margins, where rock undergoes metamorphism under high pressure but relatively low temperature.

In Chinese culture, jadeite is a symbol of wealth, happiness and longevity, and in New Zealand mythology it is associated with the god Maui and is considered a sacred stone by local residents.