igneous
Pink granite
Granitic plutonic rock; mainly quartz, pink alkali feldspar, plagioclase, and biotite/hornblende
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectCoarse-grained, speckled pink-gray appearance with vitreous quartz and blocky feldspar; hardness about 6–7 Mohs, massive texture, no consistent cleavage as a rock, and specific gravity roughly 2.63–2.75.
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Physical properties
Coarse-grained, speckled pink-gray appearance with vitreous quartz and blocky feldspar; hardness about 6–7 Mohs, massive texture, no consistent cleavage as a rock, and specific gravity roughly 2.63–2.75.
Formation & geological history
Formed when silica-rich magma cooled slowly deep underground, allowing large interlocking crystals to grow; granite bodies range from Precambrian to much younger ages and commonly form continental batholiths.
Uses & applications
Used extensively as dimension stone, countertops, monuments, paving, aggregate, and architectural cladding; attractive hand specimens have modest collector appeal.
Geological facts
The pink color is typically caused by iron-bearing potassium feldspar, while darker grains are usually biotite or hornblende. This specimen may be a weathered or slightly metamict granitic cobble.
Field identification & locations
Identify it by its visible interlocking quartz, feldspar, and dark mica/amphibole grains, unlike layered gneiss or uniformly fine volcanic rock. Common in continental mountain belts and glacial river gravels worldwide.
