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What is Moissanite?

Author: FreemasonBling
22.09.2010

Originally discovered by Henri Moissan in 1893, moissonite is a hard, transparent mineral also known as silicon carbide (SiC). Moissan and other scientists initially believed that moissanite could only be found in meteorites, but in the 1950s, deposits were found in diamond mines and rock formations in the US. Still, moissanite in its natural form is extremely rare.

Registering a 9.5 on the Mohs scale, moissanite is an extremely hard and durable mineral. Although it’s primarily used in moissanite jewelry, its hardness lends itself well to high-pressure experimentation. Since moissanite can be created synthetically relatively cheaply, and its thermal conductivity is comparable to that of diamonds, it’s an ideal alternative to diamonds in these situations.



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