igneous
Granite
Plutonic felsic igneous rock
Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale; Color: 'Salt and pepper' with white/tan, pink, and black; Luster: Phaneritic (crystalline, dull to vitreous minerals); Structure: Coarse-grained phaneritic; Cleavage: None (fractures); Specific Gravity: 2.63-2.75
- Hardness
- 6-7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- 'Salt and pepper' with white/tan, pink, and black
- Luster
- Phaneritic (crystalline, dull to vitreous minerals)
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale; Color: 'Salt and pepper' with white/tan, pink, and black; Luster: Phaneritic (crystalline, dull to vitreous minerals); Structure: Coarse-grained phaneritic; Cleavage: None (fractures); Specific Gravity: 2.63-2.75
Formation & geological history
Formed through the slow crystallization of silica-rich magma deep underground (plutonic). It can range in age from billions of years (Precambrian) to relatively recent eras.
Uses & applications
Extensively used in construction for countertops, floor tiles, paving stones, monuments, and as crushed stone for road base.
Geological facts
Granite is the most common rock found in the Earth's continental crust. It is so tough that it makes up the cores of many mountain ranges, like the Sierra Nevada.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its interlocking visible crystals. Look for translucent quartz, opaque white or pink feldspar, and black biotite or hornblende. Commonly found in mountain ranges and glacial deposits.
