igneous
Granite
Granite (Plutonic Igneous Rock)
Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale. Color: Tan, beige, pinkish-yellow, speckled with dark grey/black. Luster: Dull to vitreous. Texture: Medium to coarse-grained (phaneritic). Crystal Structure: Interlocking crystals of quartz, feldspar, and mica/biotite.
- Hardness
- 6-7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Tan, beige, pinkish-yellow, speckled with dark grey/black
- Luster
- Dull to vitreous
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale. Color: Tan, beige, pinkish-yellow, speckled with dark grey/black. Luster: Dull to vitreous. Texture: Medium to coarse-grained (phaneritic). Crystal Structure: Interlocking crystals of quartz, feldspar, and mica/biotite.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the slow cooling and crystallization of felsic magma deep below Earth's surface (intrusive plutonic origin). Exposure occurs after millions of years of erosion.
Uses & applications
Widely used as building stone, countertops, paving, landscaping gravel, aggregate in construction, and monuments.
Geological facts
Granite makes up a large portion of Earth's continental crust. It is often weathered on the surface to produce a yellowish-brown iron-stained coating, known as weathering rind.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its visible interlocking mineral grains of light-colored feldspar/quartz and dark biotite or hornblende. Commonly found in mountain ranges, batholiths, and riverbed gravels globally.
