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
Anthracite is a type of sedimentary rock which is hard and is variety of coal that has high luster
Origin
Unknown
Pennsylvania, U.S.
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From Italian granito, which means grained rock, from grano grain, and from Latin granum
From Greek anthrakites, from anthrax, anthrak meaning coal
Class
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Soft Rock
Group
Plutonic
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granular, Phaneritic
Amorphous, Glassy
Color
Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White
Black, Brown, Dark Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
Veined or Pebbled
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads
Not Yet Used
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Bridges, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Near Swimming Pools, Office Buildings, Resorts
Not Yet Used
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Not Yet Used
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone
Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Steel Production
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Manufacture of Aspirins
Antiquity Uses
Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Not Yet Used
Commercial Uses
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Tombstones, Used in aquariums
Alumina Refineries, Electricity Generation, Liquid Fuel, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Paper Industry
Types
Igneous Protolith Granite, Sedimentary Protolith Granite, Mantle Granite, Anorogenic Granite, Hybrid Granite, Granodiorite and Alkali Feldspar Granite
Semi-anthracite and Meta-anthracite
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock
Helps in production of Heat and Electricity, Used as fossil fuel
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
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
Figurines
Used
Not Yet 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
Anthracite forms from the accumulation of plant debris in a swamp environment. When plant debris dies and falls into the swamp, the standing water of the swamp protects it from decay.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals
Compound Content
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion
Not Applicable
Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained
Fracture
Not Available
Conchoidal
Porosity
Less Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Dull to Grainy with Sporadic parts Pearly and Vitreous
Shiny
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Not Available
Non-Existent
Toughness
Not Available
Not Available
Specific Gravity
2.6-2.7
1.1-1.4
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.65-2.75 g/cm3
1.25-2.5 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Water Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkey, Vietnam
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic, Venezuela
Belgium, Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Czech Republic, Ukraine, United Kingdom
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Not Yet Found
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria
Granite vs Anthracite Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Granite vs Anthracite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Granite and Properties of Anthracite. Learn more about Granite vs Anthracite in the next section. The interior uses of Granite include Countertops, Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Floor tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior decoration, Kitchens and Stair treads whereas the interior uses of Anthracite include Not yet used. Due to some exceptional properties of Granite and Anthracite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Granite in construction industry include As dimension stone and that of Anthracite include Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Steel production.
More about Granite and Anthracite
Here you can know more about Granite and Anthracite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Granite and Anthracite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Granite includes Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz and mineral content of Anthracite includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Granite vs Anthracite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Granite is available in black, grey, orange, pink, white colors whereas, Anthracite is available in black, brown, dark brown, grey, light to dark grey colors. Appearance of Granite is Veined or Pebbled and that of Anthracite is Veined or Pebbled. Properties of rock is another aspect for Granite vs Anthracite. The hardness of Granite is 6-7 and that of Anthracite is 1-1.5. The types of Granite are Igneous Protolith Granite, Sedimentary Protolith Granite, Mantle Granite, Anorogenic Granite, Hybrid Granite, Granodiorite and Alkali Feldspar Granite whereas types of Anthracite are Semi-anthracite and Meta-anthracite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Granite is white while that of Anthracite is black. The specific heat capacity of Granite is 0.79 kJ/Kg K and that of Anthracite is 1.32 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Granite is heat resistant, wear resistant whereas Anthracite is heat resistant, water resistant.