Granite is a coarse-grained, light-coloured igneous rock formed by cooling down of molten lava under the earth\\\'s crust. This rock mainly consists of hornblende (black grains), mica (dark/ golden sparkly grains), quartz (round glassy grains), and feldspar (Opaque, prism-shaped pink and white), with minor qualities of mica and amphibole materials. They are known to have a phaneritic texture, meaning the crystal deposits are clearly visible without an observational aid for magnification. Taking a closer look at the mineral composition will give one an understanding of the pattern and colour of the slabs. Feldspar, abundantly found in granite, constitutes pink, grey, or reddish pigments. Quartz is a colourless, transparent mineral. Muscovite and biotite of the mica mineral family shed a reflective vitreous lustre. Amphibole mineral, hornblende, is dark in colour and has a prismatic appearance.
History of Granite Used in Ancient Times
The Red Pyramid of ancient Egypt from the 26th century BCE which is considered the third largest Egyptian pyramid has reported traces of granite surface. The Menkaure pyramid from the same era was built using blocks of granite and limestone. The great pyramid Giza from around 2580 BCE contained Red Aswan granite. The ruins of the Black pyramid from the reign of Amenemhat III had a granite polished capstone. Many large temples in Southern India built by King Raja Raja Cholan I were made of granite too.
Uses:
Granites are widely used in many objects we see in our day-to-day life. To name a few, they can be used in building countertops, stairs, shelves, monuments, kitchen island, pool coping and floor. These stones even have a historical significance as they were widely used in building monuments in places like The White Mountains, Mount Rushmore, Yosemite Valley, and The Stone Mountain.
