igneous

Granite

Granite (Felsic Plutonic Rock)

Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale; Color: Pink, white, gray, and black speckles; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Crystal structure: Phaneritic (coarse-grained) interlocking crystals of quartz, feldspar, and mica; Specific Gravity: 2.63 to 2.75.

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

Identified May 12, 2026More igneous →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed through the slow crystallization of magma below Earth's surface (intrusive). Most granites are associated with mountain-building periods and date back hundreds of millions to billions of years.

Uses & applications

Widely used in construction for countertops, floor tiles, paving stones, curbing, monuments, and as crushed stone for road base.

Geological facts

Granite makes up a large portion of the Earth's continental crust. It is one of the hardest and most durable natural stones, which is why it has been used since ancient Egypt for obelisks and pyramids.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its 'salt and pepper' appearance and visible crystal grains. Found globally in continental landmasses, particularly in batholiths and exposed mountain cores. Often collected as river-worn pebbles like this specimen.

Other igneous specimens

See all

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