Final answer:
The softest mineral that would hurt you the least is halite, with a hardness of 2.5 on the Mohs scale. Other soft minerals include gypsum and calcite. Fossils are commonly found in limestone, which is a soft mineral.
Step-by-step explanation:
The mineral that would hurt you the least because it's the softest is halite, also known as rock salt. Halite has a hardness of 2.5 on the Mohs scale, which is the lowest rating for any mineral. It can easily be scratched with a fingernail or a copper penny.
Other soft minerals include gypsum, with a hardness of 2, and calcite, with a hardness of 3. These minerals are commonly fine-grained and homogeneous, meaning their composition is consistent throughout.
It is worth noting that soft minerals like halite and limestone are often found together with fossils, as fossils are common in limestone. Limestone is formed over thousands of years through the accumulation of layers of marine organisms, and fossils can be preserved within it.