Granite is widespread in the modern world. Many of us walk on granite steps every day and touch granite railings, but usually no one thinks about how amazing this mineral is. But it is not without reason that it has been used by builders of many nations for so long – durable and reliable, granite has rightfully gained its popularity.
Interesting Granite Facts:
- Granite is an extremely granular mineral, much more granular than marble. Actually, its Latin name – granum – means “grain” in Latin.
- Granite contains a fair amount of feldspar and its color is determined by this factor. Therefore, there are so many types of granite.
- Many high mountains are formed mainly from granite. Of the most famous granite peaks, Mont Blanc can be mentioned. The third highest peak in the world – Kanchenjunga – is also granite.
- All granite ever discovered was formed under tremendous pressure at a depth of one to twenty kilometers and subsequently, over many millions of years, was found on or near the surface.
- The main element that forms the continental crust is precisely granite.
- Granite has high density. A cubic meter of granite is about two and a half times heavier than a cubic meter of water.
- Granite is a fairly radioactive mineral. No, it is not dangerous – it is radioactive only in comparison with the vast majority of other minerals.
- An amazing fact – sounds travel much faster through a granite massif than through air. About ten times.
- The composition of granite includes a fair amount of pure oxygen, about 50 percent.
- The average age of granite on Earth is about fifty million years.