igneous
Granite
Intrusive igneous rock
Hardness: 6-7 on the Mohs scale. Color: Salt-and-pepper appearance with white, gray, pink, and black mineral grains. Luster: Dull to vitreous depending on the crystal faces. Crystal structure: Phaneritic (coarse-grained, visible interlocking crystals).…
- Hardness
- 6-7 on the Mohs scale
- Luster
- Dull to vitreous depending on the crystal faces
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 on the Mohs scale. Color: Salt-and-pepper appearance with white, gray, pink, and black mineral grains. Luster: Dull to vitreous depending on the crystal faces. Crystal structure: Phaneritic (coarse-grained, visible interlocking crystals). Cleavage: None overall, though individual minerals like feldspar and mica have distinct cleavage. Specific gravity: 2.65 - 2.75.
Formation & geological history
Formed from the slow cooling and crystallization of magma rich in silica and alkali metal oxides beneath the Earth's surface over millions of years. Common in continental crust.
Uses & applications
Widely used in construction, dimension stone, countertops, monuments, curbing, and facing stone.
Geological facts
Granite is the most common rock of the Earth's continental crust. The region near 53.9°N, 8.7°E (Northern Germany/North Sea coast) frequently features erratic granite boulders transported southward by glaciers from Scandinavia during the Pleistocene ice ages.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by its speckled, interlocking crystalline texture composed mainly of quartz, feldspar, and biotite mica. Common worldwide and readily found in glacial drift, riverbeds, and mountainous regions.
