igneous

Granite

Phaneritic Plutonic Igneous Rock (Granite)

Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale; Color: Salt and pepper (white, gray, black, pinkish highlights); Luster: Vitreous to dull; Structure: Phaneritic (coarse-grained) crystalline; Cleavage: None (individual crystals show cleavage); Specific Gravity: 2.63 to 2.75

Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale
Color: Salt and pepper (white, gray, black, pinkish highlights)
Luster: Vitreous to dull

Identified May 29, 2026More igneous →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed from the slow subterranean cooling of silica-rich magma (plutonic) within the Earth's crust. It is a major component of continental crust and varies in age from Precambrian to Cenozoic.

Uses & applications

Extensively used in construction for countertops, floor tiles, paving stones, curbing, monuments, and as aggregate for roads and railways.

Geological facts

Granite is one of the hardest and most durable substances in the world. Famous structures like the base of the Statue of Liberty and the Great Pyramid of Giza (interior) contain granite.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its interlocking 'salt and pepper' crystalline texture where minerals like quartz (clear/gray), feldspar (white/pink), and mica/hornblende (black) are visible to the naked eye. Found globally in mountainous regions and shield areas.

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