igneous
Granite (Pink/Alkali Feldspar Granite)
Plutonic Igneous Rock (Granite)
Hardness 6-7 on Mohs scale. Color is predominantly pink to reddish-pink from orthoclase feldspar, mixed with clear/gray quartz and specks of dark biotite or hornblende. Luster is vitreous to pearly. Phaneritic (coarse-grained) crystalline texture with no cleavage for the rock as a whole.
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Physical properties
Hardness 6-7 on Mohs scale. Color is predominantly pink to reddish-pink from orthoclase feldspar, mixed with clear/gray quartz and specks of dark biotite or hornblende. Luster is vitreous to pearly. Phaneritic (coarse-grained) crystalline texture with no cleavage for the rock as a whole.
Formation & geological history
Formed from the slow cooling and crystallization of silica-rich magma deep underground beneath continental crust over millions of years.
Uses & applications
Widely used as a dimension stone in construction, kitchen countertops, monuments, floor tiles, and crushed stone for road base material.
Geological facts
Granite makes up a large portion of the Earth's continental crust. The pink hue is caused by potassium feldspar (orthoclase), which dominates over white plagioclase feldspar in this specimen.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its interlocking visible crystals, hard quartz grains that scratch glass, and distinctive pink orthoclase feldspar color. Extremely common worldwide in mountain ranges and eroded continental shields.
