igneous

Granite

Granitic intrusive igneous rock

Hardness: 6-7 (Mohs scale); Color: White, gray, or pink with dark speckles (biotite/amphibole); Luster: Vitreous to pearly; Crystal structure: Phaneritic (coarse-grained) crystalline; Cleavage: None (though constituent minerals have them); Specific gravity: 2.63 - 2.75

Hardness: 6-7 (Mohs scale)
Color: White, gray, or pink with dark speckles (biotite/amphibole)
Luster: Vitreous to pearly

Identified April 11, 2026More igneous →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed from the slow crystallization of silica-rich magma beneath the Earth's surface. It is a major component of the continental crust and can date back billions of years or be as young as a few million.

Uses & applications

Used extensively in construction for countertops, floor tiles, paving stones, curbing, monuments, and as crushed stone for road base and concrete.

Geological facts

Granite is one of the hardest and most durable substances on Earth, which is why ancient civilizations like the Egyptians used it to build pyramids and statues like the Sphinx. It often contains radioactive elements like uranium in trace amounts.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its coarse, interlocking visible crystals of quartz (clear/gray) and feldspar (white/pink). Found worldwide in mountain ranges and batholiths (e.g., Yosemite, Scottish Highlands, Blue Ridge Mountains).

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