Granite facts for kids

Most buildings in Aberdeen are made of granite

Various granites (cut and polished surfaces). The different colours are caused by different proportions of the minerals.

Granite is a type of igneous rock. It is found on Earth, but not anywhere else in our Solar System. This strong rock forms from very hot, melted rock called magma.

Granite can be many colors, from pink to grey. Its color depends on the different minerals inside it. These minerals include quartz, feldspar, hornblende, and sometimes mica.

The magma that forms granite is pushed up from deep inside the Earth. It gets squeezed between other layers of rock. As the magma slowly cools, it turns into solid stone. The minerals inside the magma form tiny crystals. You can easily see these crystals if the granite is cut and polished.

Granite is very common on Earth. It makes up a large part of the Earth's crust (the Earth's outer layer). You usually find it in the large continental plates of the Earth's crust. Even though it forms deep underground, granite can be pushed to the surface. This happens because of tectonic movement. When Earth's plates move and crash together, they can bend and push land upwards. This is how granite mountains are formed.

What Granite Is Used For

Granite is a very strong and heavy rock. It can be cut, carved, and shaped easily. It also resists water and pollution well. Plus, it comes in many beautiful colors!

You often see kitchen countertops made of shiny, polished granite. Granite is found in many countries around the world. Some places have granite with amazing patterns. This granite is dug out of the ground in open mines, called quarries. It is then sold to be used as building material.

Granite Pictures

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  Close-up of granite in Chennai, India.

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  A granite peak at Huangshan, China.

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  Grus sand and the granite it came from.

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  Cleopatra's Needle in London.

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  A polished red granite tombstone.

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  Granite was used for setts (paving stones) on the St. Louis riverfront. It also made the piers of the Eads Bridge.

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  The granite peaks of the Torres del Paine in Chilean Patagonia.

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  Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, a famous granite dome for rock climbing.

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  Rixö red granite quarry in Lysekil, Sweden.

More Images

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  A Thin section of granite, seen under a microscope.

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  A diagram showing where granite fits with other rocks.

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  Pink granite at Hiltaba, South Australia.

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  Granite with quartz veins at Gros la Tête cliff, Aride Island, Seychelles.

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  A granite quarry in Taivassalo, Finland.

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  The granite castle of Aulanko in Hämeenlinna, Finland.

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  Curling stones, often made from granite.

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  The granite peaks of the Cordillera Paine in the Chilean Patagonia.

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  Granite in Auyuittuq National Park on Baffin Island, Canada.

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  Granite in Paarl, South Africa.

See also

In Spanish: Granito para niños