Moissanite
| Colour | Clear, Green, Yellow |
|---|---|
| Mohs hardness | ~9.5 |
| Lustre | Adamantine to metallic |
| Streak | Greenish gray |
| Crystal system | 6H polytype, most common: hexagonal |
| Transparency | Transparent |
| Cleavage | (0001) indistinct |
| Fracture | Conchoidal – fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, e.g., quartz |
| Chemical formula | SiC |
| Specific gravity | 3.218–3.22 |
What is Moissanite?
Moissanite is naturally occurring silicon carbide and its various crystalline polymorphs. It has the chemical formula SiC and is a rare mineral, discovered by the French chemist Henri Moissan in 1893. Silicon carbide or moissanite is useful for commercial and industrial applications due to its hardness, optical properties, and thermal conductivity.
How to identify Moissanite
- Lustre: Adamantine to metallic.
- Hardness: Mohs ~9.5 — hard enough to scratch glass.
- Streak: Greenish gray.
- Habit: 6H polytype, most common: hexagonal crystal system.
Moissanite in different forms
Stones often confused with Moissanite
Frequently asked questions
How hard is Moissanite?
Moissanite is Mohs ~9.5 on the hardness scale.
What colour is Moissanite?
Moissanite is typically clear, green, yellow (Colorless, green, yellow).