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
Siltstone can be defined as a fine-grained sedimentary rock which mainly consists of consolidated silt
Discoverer
Alexander von Humboldt
Unknown
Etymology
From Italian granito, which means grained rock, from grano grain, and from Latin granum
From English word silt and stone and from Proto-Indo-European root sal and stainaz
Class
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Durable Rock, Hard Rock
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Granular, Phaneritic
Clastic
Color
Black, Grey, Orange, Pink, White
Brown, Red, Reddish Brown
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Appearance
Veined or Pebbled
Rough
Interior Uses
Countertops, Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Floor Tiles, Flooring, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens, Stair Treads
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
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone
Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Antiquity Uses
Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Commercial Uses
Curling, Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Tombstones, Used in aquariums
Raw material for the manufacture of mortar, Soil Conditioner
Types
Igneous Protolith Granite, Sedimentary Protolith Granite, Mantle Granite, Anorogenic Granite, Hybrid Granite, Granodiorite and Alkali Feldspar Granite
Siltstone
Features
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, It is One of the Oldest, Strongest and Hardest Rock
Available in Lots of Colors and Patterns, Easily splits into thin plates, Generally rough to touch, High silica content, Very fine grained 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
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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
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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
Siltstone is a type of sedimentary rock which is formed from fine rock particles. As the particles of eroded rock travel along with water, the edges of the rock are worn-out by water into a rounded shape.
Mineral Content
Amphibole, Biotite, Feldspar, Hornblade, Micas, Muscovite or Illite, Plagioclase, Pyroxene, Quartz
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz, Sand, Silica, Silt
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, Potassium Oxide, MgO, Sodium Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism
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Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Sea Erosion, Water Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained
Fine Grained
Porosity
Less Porous
Highly Porous
Luster
Dull to Grainy with Sporadic parts Pearly and Vitreous
Dull
Specific Gravity
2.6-2.7
2.54-2.73
Transparency
Opaque
Opaque
Density
2.65-2.75 g/cm3
2.6-2.7 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Water Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam
China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan
Africa
Angola, Egypt, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sardinia, Spain, Switzerland, The Czech Republic
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, USA
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
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New South Wales, New Zealand
Granite vs Siltstone 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 Siltstone characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Granite and Properties of Siltstone. Learn more about Granite vs Siltstone 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 Siltstone include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Granite and Siltstone, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Granite in construction industry include As dimension stone and that of Siltstone include Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar.
More about Granite and Siltstone
Here you can know more about Granite and Siltstone. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Granite and Siltstone 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 Siltstone includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz, Sand, Silica, Silt. You can also check out the list of all Igneous Rocks. When we have to compare Granite vs Siltstone, 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, Siltstone is available in brown, red, reddish brown colors. Appearance of Granite is Veined or Pebbled and that of Siltstone is Rough. Properties of rock is another aspect for Granite vs Siltstone. Hardness of Granite and Siltstone is 6-7. 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 Siltstone are Siltstone. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Granite and Siltstone is white. The specific heat capacity of Granite is 0.79 kJ/Kg K and that of Siltstone is 0.84 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 Siltstone is heat resistant, impact resistant, pressure resistant, water resistant.