The mineral above is very similar chemically to a diamond. Graphite and diamond are both pure carbon. The difference is the amount of heat and pressure that has been put onto the two minerals. Diamond is the hardest natural element on Earth with a hardness of 10 which is the maximum on the Mohs hardness scale. Graphite is a very soft mineral with a hardness between 1 and 2. Graphite has a black streak and was probably formed by the metamorphism of plant remains or by the crystallization of ancient magmas. Today graphite is used for "lead" in pencils. Lead is poisonous to humans and has not been used for many years in pencils. Graphite is also used in the paint industry.

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