igneous

Pink Granite

Phaneritic Plutonic Felsic Igneous Rock (Granite)

Hardness: 6–7 Mohs; Color: Pink, salmon, or reddish due to high potassium feldspar content, mixed with gray quartz and black biotite/hornblende; Luster: Dull to vitreous; Structure: Phaneritic (coarse-grained, visible crystals);…

Hardness: 6–7 Mohs
Luster: Dull to vitreous

Identified March 31, 2026More igneous →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed through the slow cooling and crystallization of molten magma deep within the Earth's crust (plutonic). This process allows large crystals to grow. Granite can date from the Archean Eon to the Cenozoic, commonly found in continental crustal shields and mountain ranges.

Uses & applications

Extensively used in construction for countertops, floor tiles, and paving stones. It is also used in monument carving, as crushed stone for road base, and as decorative landscaping rock.

Geological facts

Granite is the most common igneous rock found on Earth's continents. The 'pink' color specifically indicates a high concentration of orthoclase feldspar. Mount Rushmore is carved into a massive granite batholith.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its 'salt and pepper' or 'speckled' appearance and coarse mineral grains that are interlocked. Common in mountainous regions like the Appalachians, Rockies, or the Scottish Highlands. Look for the absence of layering (unlike sedimentary rocks) and high resistance to scratching.

Other igneous specimens

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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

Magnetite

Iron(II,III) oxide (Fe3O4)

mineral

Blue Apatite

Apatite (Group), Ca5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH)

mineral

Sodalite

Sodalite - Na8(Al6Si6O24)Cl2

mineral

Magnetite

Magnetite (Fe3O4)

mineral