How the Mohs Scale Ranks Hardness | HowStuffWorks
Where Stuff Ranks. On the Mohs scale of 10 minerals, diamond is hardest at No. 10, and talc is softest, at No. 1. Just about any substance can be ranked on the scale, for example, ruby is a 9, tanzanite is about a 6 to 7, and soapstone countertops are around a 3. The hardness of more than minerals and rocks can be measured, too.