igneous
Pink Granite
Phaneritic Plutonic Felsic Rock
Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale; Color: Pink, salmon, or reddish with flecks of white, gray, and black; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Crystal structure: Phaneritic (coarse-grained); Cleavage: Perfect in feldspar grains, none in quartz; Specific gravity: 2.63-2.75
- Hardness
- 6-7 on Mohs scale
- Luster
- Vitreous to dull
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale; Color: Pink, salmon, or reddish with flecks of white, gray, and black; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Crystal structure: Phaneritic (coarse-grained); Cleavage: Perfect in feldspar grains, none in quartz; Specific gravity: 2.63-2.75
Formation & geological history
Formed by the slow crystallization of magma below the Earth's surface (intrusive). The pink color comes from an abundance of potassium feldspar (orthoclase). These rocks are typically hundreds of millions to billions of years old.
Uses & applications
Used extensively in construction for countertops, floor tiles, paving stones, curbing, and monuments. Also popular as a landscaping stone and collector's specimen for teaching rock types.
Geological facts
Granite makes up a large portion of the Earth's continental crust. The iconic pink granite of the Llano Uplift in Texas is approximately 1.1 billion years old. Famous mountains like Yosemite's Half Dome are primarily granite.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its interlocking 'salt and pepper' crystalline texture with visible pink potassium feldspar crystals. It is ubiquitous in mountainous regions and can be found in glacial till across the Northern Hemisphere.
