Granite

Basanite

Granite and Basanite

Granite

Basanite

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Definition

Granite is a very hard, granular, crystalline igneous rock which consists mainly of quartz, mica, and feldspar and is often used as building stone

Basanite is a black basaltic rock which mainly contains plagioclase, augite, olivine and nepheline and is formerly used as a touchstone

History

Origin

Discoverer

Alexander von Humboldt

Unknown

Etymology

From Italian granito, which means grained rock, from grano grain, and from Latin granum

From Latin basanites + -ite

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Granular, Phaneritic

Aphanitic to Porphyritic

Color

Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Veined or Pebbled

Glassy or Pearly

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads

Decorative Aggregates, Homes

Exterior Uses

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Bridges, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Near Swimming Pools, Office Buildings, Resorts

As Building Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Whetstones

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone

Arrowheads, Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, Spear Points

Medical Industry

Antiquity Uses

Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Monuments

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Tombstones, Used in aquariums

As a touchstone, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, In fire-starting tools, Manufacture of tools, Metallurgical Flux, Jewelry, To ignite fire, Used in flintlock firearms

Types

Igneous Protolith Granite, Sedimentary Protolith Granite, Mantle Granite, Anorogenic Granite, Hybrid Granite, Granodiorite and Alkali Feldspar Granite

Nepheline-Basanite, Analcite-Basanite and Leucite-Basanite

Features

Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock

Clasts are smooth to touch, Easily splits into thin plates, Has High structural resistance against erosion and climate, Used as a touchstone

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Agia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, Blue Domed Church in Santorini, Greece, Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Charminar in Hyderabad, India, Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain in London, UK, Ephesus in Turkey, Georgia Guidestones in Georgia, US, Hermitage in Saint Petersburg, Khajuraho Temples, India, Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu, India, Mysore Palace in Karnataka, India, Signers Monument in Augusta, Georgia, Statue of Liberty in New York, USA, Taj Mahal in Agra, India, Tower Bridge in London, Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, US, Washington Monument, US

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Avukana Buddha Statue in Sri Lanka, Lincoln Memorial in America, Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota, US, The Colossal Red Granite Statue of Amenhotep III in Karnak, Egypt

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Formation

Granite is an intrusive igneous rock which is very hard, crystalline and is visibly homogeneous in texture and forms by melting of continental rocks

Basanite is a fine-grained, hard rock that forms when bits of lava shoot out of volcanoes.

Composition

Mineral Content

Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz

Augite, Feldspar, Ilmenite, Olivine, Plagioclase

Compound Content

Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide

Potassium Oxide, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering

Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-77

1 7

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Grain Size

Large and Coarse Grained

Fine Grained

Fracture

Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Dull to Grainy with Sporadic parts Pearly and Vitreous

Waxy and Dull

Compressive Strength

175.00 N/mm²100.00 N/mm²

0.15 450

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Cleavage

Toughness

1.5

Specific Gravity

2.6-2.72.5-2.8

0 8.4

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Transparency

Opaque

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.65-2.75 g/cm³2.7 g/cm³

0 1400

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Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.79 kJ/Kg K0.74 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam

Africa

Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa

Uganda

Europe

Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic

Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain

Others

Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

USA

South America

Bolivia, Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

All about Granite and Basanite Properties

Know all about Granite and Basanite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Granite and Basanite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Granite is Granular, Phaneritic whereas that of Basanite is Aphanitic to Porphyritic. Granite appears Veined or Pebbled and Basanite appears Glassy or Pearly. The luster of Granite is dull to grainy with sporadic parts pearly and vitreous while that of Basanite is waxy and dull. Granite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors whereas Basanite is available in black, brown, green, grey, red, white colors. The commercial uses of Granite are curling, gemstone, laboratory bench tops, tombstones, used in aquariums and that of Basanite are as a touchstone, creating artwork, gemstone, in fire-starting tools, manufacture of tools, metallurgical flux, jewelry, to ignite fire, used in flintlock firearms.