Mortars are glazed outside and polished on inside Made of a very high alumina composition which is harder than agate Mortar and pestle shaped for easy holding Grinding surface cannot be scratched with tungsten carbide scriber and only slightly with a diamond Pestle sold separately is of alumina with polished grinding end Use of 995 Alumina composition results in minimum sample contamination Extremely hard 9 on Mohs Scale and completely non absorbent