mineral

Silicon Carbide (Carborundum)

Silicon Carbide (SiC)

Hardness: 9-9.5 (Mohs scale); Color: Black, dark blue, or green with iridescent metallic sheen; Luster: Adamantine to metallic; Crystal structure: Hexagonal/Trigonal; Cleavage: None; Specific gravity: 3.21.

Hardness: 9-9
Color: Black, dark blue, or green with iridescent metallic sheen
Luster: Adamantine to metallic

Identified May 20, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

While rarely found in nature as the mineral Moissanite (usually in meteorites), most specimens like this are synthetically produced in electrical resistance furnaces by the Acheson process at high temperatures (approx 2500°C).

Uses & applications

Widely used as an industrial abrasive (sandpaper, cutting tools), in semiconductor electronics, high-temperature ceramics, and as a decorative collector specimen due to its iridiscence.

Geological facts

It is one of the hardest known synthetic substances, nearly as hard as diamond. Its natural form, moissanite, was first discovered in a meteor crater in Arizona in 1893.

Field identification & locations

Identifiable by its incredible hardness, sharp crystalline edges, and rainbow-like iridescence (peacock colors) on dark surfaces. It is not found in the wild in this form; it is usually purchased at rock shops or found near industrial production sites.