Granite and Picrite

Granite

Picrite

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

Picrite is a variety of high-magnesium olivine basalt that is very rich in the mineral olivine

History

Origin

Unknown

Hawaii Islands

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

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

From Greek pikros bitter + -ite, 19th century

Class

Igneous Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Hard Rock

Family

Group

Plutonic

Volcanic

Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

Texture

Granular, Phaneritic

Earthy, Rough

Color

Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White

Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, Pink, White, Yellow

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

Yes

Scratch Resistant

Yes

Stain Resistant

Yes

Wind Resistant

Yes

Acid Resistant

Yes

Appearance

Veined or Pebbled

Rough and Shiny

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

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

Countertops, 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, Paving Stone

Other Architectural Uses

Curbing

Industry

Construction Industry

As Dimension Stone

As a Sintering Agent in Steel Industry to process Iron Ore, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Manufacture of Magnesium and Dolomite Refractories, Roadstone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.

Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

Antiquity Uses

Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines

Artifacts, Monuments, Sculpture

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

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

As a Feed Additive for Livestock, As armour rock for sea walls, Metallurgical Flux, Pottery, Source of Magnesia (MgO)

Types

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

Oceanite

Features

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

Host Rock for Lead

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

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

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

Petroglyphs

Not Used

Figurines

Used

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

Picrite 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.

Composition

Mineral Content

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

Biotite, Olivine, Plagioclase, Pyrrhotite

Compound Content

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

Al, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, Mg, MgO

Transformation

Metamorphism

Yes

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

Yes

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering

Erosion

Yes

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

6-7

6.8

Grain Size

Large and Coarse Grained

Fine Grained

Fracture

Not Available

Uneven

Streak

White

White, Greenish White or Grey

Porosity

Less Porous

Luster

Dull to Grainy with Sporadic parts Pearly and Vitreous

Subvitreous to Dull

Compressive Strength

175.00 N/mm²

189.00 N/mm²

Cleavage

Not Available

Imperfect

Toughness

Not Available

2.1

Specific Gravity

2.6-2.7

2.75-2.92

Transparency

Opaque

Density

2.65-2.75 g/cm³

1.5-2.5 g/cm³

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

0.79 kJ/Kg K

0.88 kJ/Kg K

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant

Heat Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

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

India, Russia

Africa

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

South Africa

Europe

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

Iceland

Others

Not Yet Found

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, USA

South America

Not Yet Found

Brazil

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

Not Yet Found

Summary >>

<< Reserves

All about Granite and Picrite Properties

Know all about Granite and Picrite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Granite and Picrite belong to Igneous Rocks.Texture of Granite is Granular, Phaneritic whereas that of Picrite is Earthy, Rough. Granite appears Veined or Pebbled and Picrite appears Rough and Shiny. The luster of Granite is dull to grainy with sporadic parts pearly and vitreous while that of Picrite is subvitreous to dull. Granite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors whereas Picrite is available in black, brown, colourless, green, grey, pink, white, yellow colors. The commercial uses of Granite are curling, gemstone, laboratory bench tops, tombstones, used in aquariums and that of Picrite are as a feed additive for livestock, as armour rock for sea walls, metallurgical flux, pottery, source of magnesia (mgo).