igneous
Granite
Granite (Plutonic Felsic Igneous Rock)
Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale. Color: speckled light grey, pink, cream, and white with black/dark brown grains. Luster: vitreous to dull. Texture: phaneritic (coarse-grained coarse crystalline mixture of quartz, feldspar, and mica).
- Hardness
- 6-7 on Mohs scale
- Luster
- vitreous to dull
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale. Color: speckled light grey, pink, cream, and white with black/dark brown grains. Luster: vitreous to dull. Texture: phaneritic (coarse-grained coarse crystalline mixture of quartz, feldspar, and mica).
Formation & geological history
Formed from the slow cooling and crystallization of felsic magma deep below Earth's surface (intrusive igneous). Commonly formed during continental collision events and batholith emplacements.
Uses & applications
Widely used as a dimension stone in construction, kitchen countertops, paving stones, monuments, decorative carvings, and crushed stone for aggregate.
Geological facts
Granite makes up a large portion of the Earth's continental crust. Continental crust is far less dense than basaltic oceanic crust, which allows continents to 'float' on the denser mantle.
Field identification & locations
Identified field-side by its visible, interlocking coarse mineral grains consisting predominantly of quartz, orthoclase/plagioclase feldspar, and biotite or muscovite mica. Found in mountain ranges and eroded plutonic shields worldwide.
