igneous

Granite

Phaneritic Felsic Igneous Rock

Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale. Color: Mottled salt-and-pepper look with pink, white, gray, and black. Luster: Vitreous to dull. Structure: Phaneritic (coarse-grained visible crystals). Cleavage: Varies by mineral, generally irregular fracture.

Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale
Luster: Vitreous to dull

Identified March 16, 2026More igneous →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed through the slow crystallization of magma below Earth's surface (intrusive). Most continental granite dates from the Precambrian to Cenozoic eras, typically forming in continental crust above subduction zones.

Uses & applications

Extensively used in construction for countertops, floor tiles, paving stones, and monuments due to its durability and resistance to weathering. Also used as crushed stone for road base.

Geological facts

Granite makes up a large portion of the Earth's continental crust. Mount Rushmore is carved into a massive granite batholith in South Dakota. Because it contains trace amounts of uranium, some granite can emit small amounts of radon gas.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its 'salt and pepper' appearance and visible interlocking crystals of quartz (clear/gray), feldspar (white/pink), and mica (black/shiny). Found globally in mountain ranges and continental shields.

Other igneous specimens

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Blue Apatite

Fluorapatite (Ca5(PO4)3F)

mineral

Dark Igneous Rock (Likely Basalt or Diabase)

Basalt (extrusive igneous rock) or Diabase (intrusive igneous rock - also known as Dolerite), largely composed of plagioclase feldspar, pyroxene (augite), and sometimes olivine and amphibole. Exact mineralogy would require thin section analysis.

Igneous