igneous
Granodiorite
Granodiorite (Intermediate plutonic rock)
Hardness: 6-7 (Mohs scale); Color: Salt and pepper (mottled grey, black, and white); Luster: Phaneritic (crystalline); Crystal structure: Coarse-grained; Specific gravity: 2.6-2.7
- Hardness
- 6-7 (Mohs scale)
- Color
- Salt and pepper (mottled grey, black, and white)
- Luster
- Phaneritic (crystalline)
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 (Mohs scale); Color: Salt and pepper (mottled grey, black, and white); Luster: Phaneritic (crystalline); Crystal structure: Coarse-grained; Specific gravity: 2.6-2.7
Formation & geological history
Formed through the slow cooling of silica-rich magma beneath the Earth's surface in batholiths and mountain-building regions. Common in continental crust and subduction zones.
Uses & applications
Used primarily in heavy construction, road base, and as decorative dimension stone (countertops/monuments). Often sold as 'white granite' in trade.
Geological facts
Granodiorite was the stone used to carve the famous Rosetta Stone. It is the most common rock type in the Sierra Nevada Batholith.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its 'salt and pepper' look with visible crystals of white plagioclase, grey quartz, and black biotite/hornblende. It contains more plagioclase than orthoclase feldspar.
