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How is Granite Formed?

If you’ve ever considered installing a granite worktop or countertop in your home, then the chances are you’ve wondered how this stunning material gets its incredible natural shimmer. The beauty and lustre of granite – and the fact that it’s available in such a wide range of different colours – can make it difficult to believe that this material comes from a natural source.

However, we’re going to give you a basic insight into how granite is formed, then used to create the stunning surfaces and home accents that you see around the world today.

What is Granite?

Granite is the best-known form of igneous rock in the world. Often light in colour, the stone is filled with grains of material that are large enough to be visible to the human eye. In other words, these grains give granite the stunning texture that make it so appealing.

Granite forms as a result of the slow crystallization of magma below the surface of the earth. Magma rises slowly to the upper levels of the earth’s crust and begins to slowly cool. This slow cooling gives the granite enough time to draw various grains together and develop.

The grains that you can see in a slab of granite are largely made up of quartz and feldspar, with small amounts of amphiboles, mica, and various other minerals. Because there’s such a unique collection of minerals to be found within the composition of a typical block of granite, you can often expect to see a range of colours shining through. Many blocks of granite include dark greys, blacks, whites, pinks, and reds.

The pink and red grains in granite come from orthoclase feldspar, while the smoky and clear grains are made up of quartz and muscovite. Some granite, which is known as a “gneiss” can be created from sedimentary rock that has gone through a lengthy metamorphosis period.

The Popularity of Granite

Granite can be seen in many world-famous natural exposures across the globe, including Yosemite Valley, Georgie, Stone Mountain, Mount Rushmore, and the White Mountains. Today, it’s beautiful appearance and it’s naturally durable yet stain-resistant nature make it the perfect material for various home solutions.

You can see the natural beauty of granite in everything from counter tops in a kitchen to backsplashes, sink basins, floor tiles, and more. The natural crystal grains in granite can allow it to shimmer and sparkle under different forms of natural, and artificial light.

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