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Origins & Sources of Granite

Granite is believed to have been formed as long as 300 million years ago. It began as a mass of molten rock, estimated at 1300 to 1400° F, formed by volcanic activity about 11 or 12 miles below the Earth’s surface. Forces of nature caused the magma to gradually rise to the surface where it began to cool very slowly over the next million years or so, solidifying into granite.

Over time, the land above it eroded, leaving a scattering of granite quarries all over the world. Aside from the traditional sources, such as Italy, USA, and Canada, popular granite producing areas now include India, China, many African nations, much of mountainous South America, and the northern European countries.

Granite is composed primarily of feldspar, quartz, and mica. It may also contain hints of muscovite, biotite, hornblende, and pyroxene and other minerals. These minerals are what give it its various colors. The white mineral grains in granite are feldspar, our planet’s most abundant rock, which makes up about 60% of the earth’s surface. The light gray, glass-like veins are quartz, and the black, flake-like veins are biotite or black mica.

Other minerals imbue the stone with a rainbow of colors, depending on their source, and these varieties are often given unique names. One coarse grained type, for example, is called pegmatite, which is often rich in rare elements such as uranium, tungsten, and tantalum.

Granite is drilled and blasted from the quarry in large blocks, cut into slabs by a gang saw, and polished to uniform thickness by automatic polishing machines. The size of the slabs will vary from quarry to quarry, but are rarely more than 10 feet long. It is cut and fabricated into countertops using diamond saw blades or drill bits.

The beauty, which only nature can provide, is inherent in every piece of granite, making it truly a designer’s choice. Its extreme hardness, which approaches that of diamonds, makes granite uncommonly durable and extremely appealing for use in the every day home. Nations through the ages have chosen granite to memorialize their significant achievements and milestones. From ancient cathedrals to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, granite’s beauty endures forever.