igneous
Granite
Granite (Plutonic Igneous Rock)
Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale. Color: Speckled white, pink, grey, and black. Luster: Dull to pearly/vitreous. Structure: Phaneritic (coarse-grained intrusive texture composed of quartz, potassium feldspar, plagioclase, and mica or amphibole). Cleavage: Variable based on constituent minerals.
- Hardness
- 6-7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Speckled white, pink, grey, and black
- Luster
- Dull to pearly/vitreous
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale. Color: Speckled white, pink, grey, and black. Luster: Dull to pearly/vitreous. Structure: Phaneritic (coarse-grained intrusive texture composed of quartz, potassium feldspar, plagioclase, and mica or amphibole). Cleavage: Variable based on constituent minerals.
Formation & geological history
Formed from the slow cooling and crystallization of magma deep underground within the Earth's crust over millions of years.
Uses & applications
Widely used as a construction material, architectural stone, countertops, paving, monuments, and as crushed stone for aggregate.
Geological facts
Granite makes up a large portion of the continental crust of Earth. Its interlocking crystalline texture gives it extreme durability and resistance to weathering.
Field identification & locations
Identified by visible, interlocking grains of quartz (translucent glassy appearance), feldspar (white/pink blocky grains), and dark ferromagnesian minerals like biotite mica or hornblende. Commonly found in mountain ranges and batholiths worldwide.
