Granite
“The backbone of continents”
Igneous
Granite is a coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock that forms deep underground as magma cools slowly over thousands of years. It's one of the most abundant rocks in Earth's continental crust and is widely used in construction and monuments.
Composition
quartz, feldspar, mica, hornblende
Where Found
Worldwide — notably Yosemite (USA), Scottish Highlands, Andes Mountains, India
Mohs Hardness
6-7
Fun Fact
Mount Rushmore is carved into a granite batholith that is about 1.7 billion years old.
Test Your Knowledge
Why do granite landscapes often form smooth, rounded dome-shaped landforms?
Related Specimens
Want to identify rocks yourself?