Granite and Flint

Granite

Flint

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

Flint is a hard type of sedimentary rock that produces a small piece of burning material when hit by steel

History

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

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

From Old English flint - a type of rock mainly known for high hardness and for giving off sparks when struck

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Not Applicable

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Granular, Phaneritic

Banded, Rough

Color

Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White

Black, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Yes

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, Interior Decoration

Exterior Uses

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

As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone

Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Spear Points

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

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

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

Not Available

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

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Used

Not Yet Used

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

Not Applicable

Sculpture

Used

Not Yet Used

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

Not Applicable

Pictographs

Not Used

Petroglyphs

Not Used

Figurines

Used

Not Yet Used

Fossils

Absent

Present

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

Flint is formed by the decomposition and compaction of various organisms such as sponges and diatoms under the water.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Silicon

Compound Content

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

Silicon Dioxide

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism

Not Applicable

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering

Not Applicable

Erosion

Yes

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Water Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

6-7

Grain Size

Large and Coarse Grained

Very fine-grained

Fracture

Not Available

Conchoidal

Streak

White

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Dull to Grainy with Sporadic parts Pearly and Vitreous

Vitreous

Compressive Strength

175.00 N/mm²

450.00 N/mm²

Cleavage

Not Available

Non-Existent

Toughness

Not Available

1.5

Specific Gravity

2.6-2.7

2.5-2.8

Transparency

Opaque

Translucent to Opaque

Density

2.65-2.75 g/cm³

2.7-2.71 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.79 kJ/Kg K

0.74 kJ/Kg K

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

Azerbaijan, China, Russia

Africa

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

Not Yet Found

Europe

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

Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom

Others

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

USA

South America

Not Yet Found

Bolivia

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Not Yet Found

New Zealand, South Australia

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Granite and Flint Properties

Know all about Granite and Flint properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Granite belongs to Igneous Rocks while Flint belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Granite is Granular, Phaneritic whereas that of Flint is Banded, Rough. Granite appears Veined or Pebbled and Flint appears Glassy or Pearly. The luster of Granite is dull to grainy with sporadic parts pearly and vitreous while that of Flint is vitreous. Granite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors whereas Flint 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 Flint are creating artwork, gemstone, in fire-starting tools, manufacture of tools, metallurgical flux, jewelry, to ignite fire, used in flintlock firearms.