Granite Rock

Granite Rock
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Granite Rock???

mineral composition of granite rock courtesy  GeologyIn.com

Granite is a light-colored, coarse grained intrusive igneous rock that is mainly rich in quartz and feldspar with minor amounts of mica, amphiboles etc. This mineral composition results in granite color variation which is a percentage of each mineral found in the sample. The crystals in granite provide a variety of mixed colors — feldspar (pink or red), mica (dark brown or black), quartz (clear pink, white, or black) and amphibole (black). From a petrology point of view, granite is a plutonic rock that is composed of between 10 to 50% quartz (typically semi-transparent white) and 65 to 90% total feldspar (typically a pinkish or white hue).

The word granite is derived from the Latin word granum meaning grains, with reference to the coarse-grained structure of this rock type.

The Most Common Plutonic Rock 

Granite Rock

Granite is the most common type of intrusive igneous rock in the Earth’s crust. It forms when the molten rock or magma seeps in the gaps in sedimentary rock layers, and crystallizes slowly owing to its high silicate content. The entire process takes millions of years, and is just a small part of the rock cycle. The large mineral grains of granite rock are attributed to this slow solidification of magma at considerable depth inside the Earth’s crust.  Granite is brought near the earth’s surface through uplift process and is exposed when the overlying rocks are removed.  It may occur in dikes or sills (tabular bodies injected in fissures and inserted between other rocks); but mostly it forms irregular masses of variable size.

Granite is the plutonic equivalent to rhyolite. Its uses include: cut and polished for dimension stone for building facings, foyers, bench, counters, floor and wall tiles (used to produce impressions of elegance and quality).

Granite carvings of the faces of four US presidents on the southeastern side of Mount Rushmore

It is also used for construction materials although it’s not ideal for aggregate because of high silica content. Granite is also carved into monuments, headstones, statues etc. The carving of the faces of four US presidents in the southeastern side of Mount Rushmore is among the world’s most recognizable granite monuments. The sculpture features 60-foot (18 m) faces of presidents:  George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt. More than 3 million people visit the monument each year.

You can read more about other rocks through this link: https://www.mininghubafrica.com/category/rocks/

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