Granite and Minette
Definition
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
Minette is a variety of Lamprophyre and is porphyritic alkaline igneous rock which is mainly dominated by biotite and potassic feldspar
History
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Italian granito, which means grained rock, from grano grain, and from Latin granum
From French mine ore, mine + ette
Class
Igneous Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Family
Group
Plutonic
Plutonic
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Texture
Granular, Phaneritic
Porphyritic
Color
Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White
Black, Bluish - Grey, Brown, Dark Greenish - Grey, Green, Grey
Maintenance
More
Less
Durability
Durable
Durable
Water Resistant
Yes
Yes
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Stain Resistant
Yes
Yes
Wind Resistant
Yes
No
Acid Resistant
No
No
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
Dull, Banded and Foilated
Uses
Architecture
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, 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
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Curbing
Industry
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Taken as a Supplement for Calcium or Magnesium
Antiquity Uses
Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Other Uses
Commercial Uses
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Tombstones, Used in aquariums
An Oil and Gas Reservoir, As a Feed Additive for Livestock, Gemstone, Metallurgical Flux, Production of Lime, Soil Conditioner, Source of Magnesia (MgO)
Types
Types
Igneous Protolith Granite, Sedimentary Protolith Granite, Mantle Granite, Anorogenic Granite, Hybrid Granite, Granodiorite and Alkali Feldspar Granite
Minette, Alnoite, Camptonite, Monchiquite, Fourchite, Vogesite, Appinite and Spessartite
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock
Always found as volcanic pipes over deep continental crust, Host rock for Diamond, Is one of the oldest rock, Surfaces are often shiny
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
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
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Used
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
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
Figurines
Used
Used
Fossils
Absent
Absent
Formation
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
Minette formation takes place deep beneath the Earth’s surface at around 150 to 450 kms, and are erupted rapidly and violently.
Composition
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Amphibole, Carbonate, Garnet, Micas, Olivine, Phlogopite, Pyroxene
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Aluminium Oxide, NaCl, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Transformation
Metamorphism
Yes
Yes
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Weathering
Yes
Yes
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering
Erosion
Yes
Yes
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Properties
Physical Properties
Hardness
6-7
5-6
Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained
Fine to Coarse Grained
Fracture
Not Available
Conchoidal
Streak
White
White
Porosity
Less Porous
Very Less Porous
Luster
Dull to Grainy with Sporadic parts Pearly and Vitreous
Subvitreous to Dull
Compressive Strength
175.00 N/mm2
13
Not Available
Cleavage
Not Available
Conchoidal
Toughness
Not Available
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.6-2.7
2.86-2.87
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent to Opaque
Density
2.65-2.75 g/cm3
2.95-2.96 g/cm3
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
0.79 kJ/Kg K
16
Not Available
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Reserves
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Russia
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, South Africa
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic, Venezuela
England, Hungary, Iceland, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Antarctica, Greenland
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Not Yet Found
Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
All about Granite and Minette Properties
Know all about Granite and Minette properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Granite and Minette belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Granite is Granular, Phaneritic whereas that of Minette is Porphyritic. Granite appears Veined or Pebbled and Minette appears Dull, Banded and Foilated. The luster of Granite is dull to grainy with sporadic parts pearly and vitreous while that of Minette is subvitreous to dull. Granite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors whereas Minette is available in black, bluish - grey, brown, dark greenish - grey, green, grey colors. The commercial uses of Granite are curling, gemstone, laboratory bench tops, tombstones, used in aquariums and that of Minette are an oil and gas reservoir, as a feed additive for livestock, gemstone, metallurgical flux, production of lime, soil conditioner, source of magnesia (mgo).
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