igneous
Pink Granite
Phaneritic Igneous Rock (primarily Quartz, Potassium Feldspar, and Plagioclase)
Hardness: 6-7 Mohs; Color: Pink, reddish-brown, white, and grey; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Structure: Phaneritic (coarse-grained); Cleavage: Distinct in feldspars, none in quartz; Specific Gravity: 2.63 - 2.75
- Hardness
- 6-7 Mohs
- Color
- Pink, reddish-brown, white, and grey
- Luster
- Vitreous to dull
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 Mohs; Color: Pink, reddish-brown, white, and grey; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Structure: Phaneritic (coarse-grained); Cleavage: Distinct in feldspars, none in quartz; Specific Gravity: 2.63 - 2.75
Formation & geological history
Formed through the slow crystallization of magma below the Earth's surface (intrusive). The pink color is derived from an abundance of potassium feldspar (orthoclase). These can date back billions of years to the Precambrian.
Uses & applications
Construction (countertops, tiles, monuments), aggregate in road building, and occasionally tumbled for decorative garden stones or aquarium gravel.
Geological facts
Granite makes up a large portion of the Earth's continental crust. Mount Rushmore is carved into a massive granite batholith. This specific specimen appears to be a river-tumbled or mechanically polished pebble.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its interlocking crystalline texture and lack of layering; pink orthoclase feldspar grains are the key diagnostic feature for this variety. Commonly found in glaciated regions or riverbeds near mountain ranges.
