IR transmitting glass-ceramics were prepared by isothermal treatments of La 2 O 3 -Ga 2 S 3 glasses. The glass-ceramics were characterized by crystalline phases, microstructure, Vickers hardness and mid (3-5 lm) IR transmittance. The Nd 2 S 3 -doped La 2 O 3 -Ga 2 S 3 glassceramics consisting of a large numbers of (LaO) 4 Ga 1.72 S 4.58 , a-(LaO)GaS 2 and a-Ga 2 S 3 crystals with <1 lm in size exhibit a high hardness of 5.3 GPa and a mid IR transparency of >60%.