mineral (synthetic)
Carborundum (Silicon Carbide)
Silicon Carbide (SiC)
Hardness: 9.0-9.5 (Mohs scale); Color: Iridescent black with rainbow metallic highlights; Luster: Adamantine to metallic; Crystal structure: Hexagonal or rhombohedral; Cleavage: None/conchoidal fracture; Specific gravity: 3.21
- Hardness
- 9
- Color
- Iridescent black with rainbow metallic highlights
- Luster
- Adamantine to metallic
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Physical properties
Hardness: 9.0-9.5 (Mohs scale); Color: Iridescent black with rainbow metallic highlights; Luster: Adamantine to metallic; Crystal structure: Hexagonal or rhombohedral; Cleavage: None/conchoidal fracture; Specific gravity: 3.21
Formation & geological history
Formed through the Acheson process, which involves heating a mixture of silica sand and carbon in an electric resistance furnace. While extremely rare in nature (found as Moissanite), these iridescent plates are man-made industrial byproducts created at temperatures exceeding 2700°C.
Uses & applications
Used as an abrasive for cutting and grinding, in high-temperature ceramics, brake discs, and semiconductor devices. In specimen form, it is used for home decor and as a teaching tool in geology.
Geological facts
Silicon Carbide is one of the hardest known substances, second only to diamond and boron nitride. The rainbow iridescence is caused by a thin surface layer of silica (SiO2) that forms when the hot material oxidizes upon air contact.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by its extreme hardness (will easily scratch glass and quartz) and its distinctive crystalline, porous, and rainbow-metallic appearance. It is strictly a lab-grown material and not found naturally in large deposits.
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