cover image

Granite

Common type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock with granular structure / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:

Can you list the top facts and stats about Granite?

Summarize this article for a 10 years old

SHOW ALL QUESTIONS

Granite (/ˈɡrænɪt/) is a coarse-grained (phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies underground. It is common in the continental crust of Earth, where it is found in igneous intrusions. These range in size from dikes only a few centimeters across to batholiths exposed over hundreds of square kilometers.

Quick facts: Composition, Classification, Primary, Seconda...
Granite
Igneous rock
Fj%C3%A6regranitt3.JPG
Composition
ClassificationFelsic
Primarypotassium feldspar, plagioclase feldspar, and quartz
SecondaryDiffering amounts of muscovite, biotite, and hornblende-type amphiboles
Close

Granite is typical of a larger family of granitic rocks, or granitoids, that are composed mostly of coarse-grained quartz and feldspars in varying proportions. These rocks are classified by the relative percentages of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase (the QAPF classification), with true granite representing granitic rocks rich in quartz and alkali feldspar. Most granitic rocks also contain mica or amphibole minerals, though a few (known as leucogranites) contain almost no dark minerals.

Granito_nicol_incrociati.gif
Thin section of granite

Granite is nearly always massive (lacking any internal structures), hard, and tough. These properties have made granite a widespread construction stone throughout human history.