igneous

Granite

Phaneritic Igneous Rock (Granite)

Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale; Color: Pink, reddish-brown, or grey with dark speckles; Luster: Dull to vitreous; Crystal Structure: Phaneritic (medium-to-coarse grained) granular; Cleavage: None (individual minerals like feldspar have cleavage); Specific Gravity: 2.63 to 2.75

Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale
Color: Pink, reddish-brown, or grey with dark speckles
Luster: Dull to vitreous

Identified April 11, 2026More igneous →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed from the slow crystallization of magma below the Earth's surface (intrusive). It is a major component of the continental crust and can date back billions of years (Archean Eon to present).

Uses & applications

Extensively used in construction for countertops, floor tiles, paving stones, monuments, and as crushed stone for road base.

Geological facts

Granite is one of the hardest and most durable rocks on Earth, which is why it has been used since ancient Egypt for building pyramids and obelisks.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its interlocking 'salt and pepper' appearance of quartz, feldspar, and mica minerals. It is found globally in mountainous regions and shield areas like the Canadian Shield or the Scottish Highlands.

Other igneous specimens

See all

Blue Apatite

Fluorapatite (Ca5(PO4)3F)

mineral

Dark Igneous Rock (Likely Basalt or Diabase)

Basalt (extrusive igneous rock) or Diabase (intrusive igneous rock - also known as Dolerite), largely composed of plagioclase feldspar, pyroxene (augite), and sometimes olivine and amphibole. Exact mineralogy would require thin section analysis.

Igneous