igneous
Granodiorite
Granodiorite
Hardness: 6-7 (Mohs scale). Color: Salt-and-pepper appearance with white/grey plagioclase and dark minerals. Luster: Vitreous to dull. Structure: Phaneritic (coarse-grained) crystalline. Specific Gravity: 2.6-2.7.
- Hardness
- 6-7 (Mohs scale)
- Luster
- Vitreous to dull
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 (Mohs scale). Color: Salt-and-pepper appearance with white/grey plagioclase and dark minerals. Luster: Vitreous to dull. Structure: Phaneritic (coarse-grained) crystalline. Specific Gravity: 2.6-2.7.
Formation & geological history
Forms from the slow cooling and crystallization of silica-rich magma beneath the Earth's surface (intrusive). Often associated with continental volcanic arcs and subduction zones.
Uses & applications
Used primarily as crushed stone for road construction, building materials, and as polished slabs for kitchen countertops and tomb stones.
Geological facts
Granodiorite is the most common intrusive rock found in the Sierra Nevada Batholith. The famous Rosetta Stone was carved from a slab of granodiorite.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its speckled appearance; it contains more plagioclase feldspar than orthoclase, distinguishing it from true granite. Commonly found in mountainous regions formed by tectonic plate collisions.
