igneous
Granite
Granite (felsic intrusive igneous rock)
Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale; Color: mottled pink, gray, white, and black; Luster: vitreous to dull; Texture: phaneritic (coarse-grained coarse crystalline texture composed mainly of potassium feldspar, quartz, and plagioclase with minor biotite/amphibole)
- Hardness
- 6-7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- mottled pink, gray, white, and black
- Luster
- vitreous to dull
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale; Color: mottled pink, gray, white, and black; Luster: vitreous to dull; Texture: phaneritic (coarse-grained coarse crystalline texture composed mainly of potassium feldspar, quartz, and plagioclase with minor biotite/amphibole)
Formation & geological history
Formed by the slow crystallization of felsic magma beneath the Earth's crust at high depth and pressure over millions of years.
Uses & applications
Widely used in construction, architectural countertops, monuments, paving stones, crushed stone aggregate, and decorative landscaping rock.
Geological facts
Granite makes up a large portion of continental crust. Its name comes from the Latin 'granum', meaning a grain, referring to its coarse-grained structure.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its speckled appearance of visible pink or white feldspar, translucent quartz grains, and dark mica flakes. Found abundantly in continental crust and mountain ranges worldwide.
