igneous
Granite Pebble
Intrusive Igneous Rock (Granite)
Hardness 6-7 on Mohs scale. Color is mottled grayish-tan with specks of pink feldspar and glassy quartz. Vitreous to dull luster, coarse-grained (phaneritic) texture with no cleavage on the rock level.
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Physical properties
Hardness 6-7 on Mohs scale. Color is mottled grayish-tan with specks of pink feldspar and glassy quartz. Vitreous to dull luster, coarse-grained (phaneritic) texture with no cleavage on the rock level.
Formation & geological history
Formed deep underground by the slow cooling and crystallization of felsic magma. Weathered and eroded over time into rounded stream pebbles or gravel.
Uses & applications
Used widely in construction as crushed stone, aggregate, decorative garden pebbles, and dimension stone.
Geological facts
Granite makes up a large portion of the Earth's continental crust. It contains significant amounts of quartz, potassium feldspar, and plagioclase.
Field identification & locations
Look for interlocking grains of translucent quartz and opaque feldspar. Commonly found in riverbeds, glacial till, beaches, and mountainous regions worldwide.
