Natural moissanite is an exceptionally rare mineral originally discovered in a meteorite crater. Most specimens available to collectors are synthetic SiC, which is highly prized for its brilliant fire and hardness that rivals diamond.
Is this moissanite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch moissanite with a known reference. Moissanite sits at Mohs 9.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: greenish gray.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic to adamantine.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless, blue, green, green yellow, yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: hexagonal. Typical habit: inclusions, microscopic crystals.
Often confused with
Moissanite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside moissanite
Minerals reported to co-occur with moissanite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- SiC
- Mohs hardness
- 9.5
- Density
- 3.1-3.29 g/cm³
- Streak
- Greenish gray
- Luster
- Metallic to adamantine
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Hexagonal
- Crystal habit
- Inclusions, microscopic crystals
- Cleavage
- {0001}, poor
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Gemstone, Abrasive, Industrial
- Host rock
- Rare: formed in an iron meteorite; as inclusions in diamond; in diamondiferous kimberlites and lamproites, and in eclogite; in volcanic breccias and rhyolite; in alluvium
Where rockhounds find moissanite
Classic worldwide localities
- Canyon Diablo meteorite, USA
- Sevan-Amasii ophiolite, Dzoraget River, Armenia
- Metaxades, Greece
- Fuxian, Liaoning Province, and in the Hong district, Tibet, China
- Udachnaya, Mir, and Aikhal diamond mines, in Sakha, Russia
- Argyle diamond mine, Kimberley district, Western Australia
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: Rare: formed in an iron meteorite; as inclusions in diamond; in diamondiferous kimberlites and lamproites, and in eclogite; in volcanic breccias and rhyolite; in alluvium. If you start seeing iron, diamond, quartz in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: inclusions, microscopic crystals. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify moissanite?+
Where is moissanite found?+
What rocks look like moissanite?+
What minerals are found with moissanite?+
What kind of rock does moissanite form in?+
What is moissanite used for?+
Find moissanite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
