igneous

Granite

Phaneritic plutonic rock (approx. 20-60% quartz, 35-90% feldspar)

Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale; Color: Pink, reddish-brown, white, and black; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Crystal structure: Phaneritic (coarse-grained visible crystals); Cleavage: None (it fractures); Specific Gravity: 2.63 - 2.75

Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale
Color: Pink, reddish-brown, white, and black
Luster: Vitreous to dull

Identified March 17, 2026More igneous →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed through the slow crystallization of magma below the Earth's surface (intrusive). Geological ages vary widely from the Archean Eon to the Cenozoic, commonly found in continental crust and mountain ranges.

Uses & applications

Used extensively in construction for countertops, floor tiles, paving stones, and memorial monuments. It is also used as crushed stone for road base and aggregate in concrete.

Geological facts

Granite makes up a large portion of the Earth's continental crust. Famous landmarks like Mount Rushmore and Yosemite's El Capitan are composed of granite. The pink color in this specimen is specifically due to potassium-rich orthoclase feldspar.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its 'salt and pepper' appearance and large, interlocking mineral grains of quartz (clear/grey) and feldspar (pink/white). It can be found globally in cratons and mountain cores.

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Blue Apatite

Fluorapatite (Ca5(PO4)3F)

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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

Magnetite

Iron(II,III) oxide (Fe3O4)

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Sodalite

Sodalite - Na8(Al6Si6O24)Cl2

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Blue Apatite

Apatite (Group), Ca5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH)

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Magnetite

Magnetite (Fe3O4)

mineral