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
Larvikite is an igneous rock and a variety of monzonite, notable for the presence of thumbnail-sized crystals of feldspar
Origin
Unknown
Larvik, Norway
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Italian granito, which means grained rock, from grano grain, and from Latin granum
From the town of Larvik in Norway, where this type of igneous rock is found
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granular, Phaneritic
Phaneritic
Color
Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White
Black, Brown, Light to Dark Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
Shiny
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
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Tombstones, Used in aquariums
Cemetery Markers, Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Igneous Protolith Granite, Sedimentary Protolith Granite, Mantle Granite, Anorogenic Granite, Hybrid Granite, Granodiorite and Alkali Feldspar Granite
Quartz Monzonite, Syenite and Diorite
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock
Available in lots of colors, Is one of the oldest rock
Archaeological Significance
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
Data Not Available
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
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Not Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Not Used
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
Larvikite is a fine-grained, hard rock which is a type of metasomatite, essentially altered basalt. It forms with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive rocks or on the surface as extrusive rocks.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Albite, Amphibole, Apatite, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Muscovite or Illite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz, Sulfides, Titanite, Zircon
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion
Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Not Available
Not Available
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull to Grainy with Sporadic parts Pearly and Vitreous
Subvitreous to Dull
Cleavage
Not Available
Not Available
Toughness
Not Available
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.6-2.7
2.8-3
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.65-2.75 g/cm3
2.9-2.91 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Not Yet Found
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
Bulgaria, England, Germany, Norway, Romania, Switzerland
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
USA
South America
Not Yet Found
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia