igneous
Pink Granite
Felsic Plutonic Rock (primarily Quartz, Potassium Feldspar, and Plagioclase)
Hardness: 6-7 Mohs; Color: Pink, reddish, mottled with gray and black; Luster: Vitreous to dull (when weathered); Crystal structure: Phaneritic (coarse-grained visible crystals); Cleavage: Perfect in feldspars, none in quartz; Specific gravity: 2.63 - 2.75.
- Hardness
- 6-7 Mohs
- Color
- Pink, reddish, mottled with gray and black
- Luster
- Vitreous to dull (when weathered)
Identified More igneous →
Explore Pink Granite in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 Mohs; Color: Pink, reddish, mottled with gray and black; Luster: Vitreous to dull (when weathered); Crystal structure: Phaneritic (coarse-grained visible crystals); Cleavage: Perfect in feldspars, none in quartz; Specific gravity: 2.63 - 2.75.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the slow crystallization of magma below Earth's surface. The specimen shown is a water-rounded cobble, likely eroded from a continental shield and transported by glacial or fluvial processes. Age typically ranges from Proterozoic to Phanerozoic eras.
Uses & applications
Used extensively as dimensional stone in construction, countertops, monuments, and as crushed aggregate for roads. In landscaping, rounded cobbles are used for decorative drainage and garden features.
Geological facts
The pink color is caused by an abundance of potassium feldspar (orthoclase). Granite makes up the bulk of the Earth's continental crust. It is one of the hardest and most durable common rock types.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by its 'salt and pepper' or mottled texture and visible interlocking crystals of varied colors. Common in glacial till across North America and within mountain ranges. It will not react with acid, unlike limestone.
