As a subject matter expert in materials science, I can provide you with an informed answer regarding the hardest metal. The term "hardest metal" can be a bit misleading because it depends on the context and the specific property being referred to, such as hardness, tensile strength, or resistance to wear. However, when people refer to the "hardest metal," they often mean the material with the greatest resistance to deformation or scratching.

The hardest naturally occurring metal is Tungsten. Tungsten has a Vickers hardness of approximately 800–900 HV, which is significantly higher than that of steel. It is also used as an alloying element to increase the hardness of steel.

There are also synthetic materials that are harder than tungsten, such as Diamantoid, which are a class of materials that include diamond and other materials with a similar structure. Diamond, in particular, is the hardest known natural material, with a hardness level that is much higher than any metal.

However, if we consider man-made materials, there are substances like Cubic Boron Nitride (CBN), which is synthesized and has a hardness that is comparable to diamond, making it one of the hardest materials known.

It's important to note that hardness is just one property of a material, and it does not necessarily correlate with other mechanical properties such as toughness or ductility.

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The Strongest Natural (Non-Alloy) Metals: Tungsten, Titanium, and ChromiumTungsten has the highest tensile strength of any natural metal, but it's brittle and tends to shatter on impact.Titanium has a tensile strength of 63,000 psi. ... Chromium, on the Mohs scale for hardness, is the hardest metal around.read more >>