granitt

Granitt is the term used in several Scandinavian languages for granite, an igneous rock with a coarse-grained texture. It is mainly composed of quartz and feldspar, with mica and minor minerals such as amphibole or hornblende. The combination of these minerals gives granite a wide range of colors and a characteristic speckled appearance, commonly pink, white, gray, or black depending on the feldspar content and impurities.

Granite forms by slow crystallization of silica-rich magma deep in the Earth’s crust, making it an intrusive (plutonic) rock. Its crystals are large enough to be seen with the naked eye, reflecting a phaneritic texture. The rock is typically hard and durable, resistant to weathering, and exhibits low porosity. On the Mohs scale, granite ranks around 6 to 7, with a density of about 2.63 to 2.75 g/cm3 and high compressive strength.

Geologically, granite intrudes into continental crust and is exposed in many mountain belts where uplift exposes deep crustal rocks. Large granitic bodies, called batholiths, are common and form extensive landscapes in regions such as North America, Europe, and Asia. Due to its hardness and aesthetic appeal, granite is widely quarried for use as dimension stone and aggregates.

Uses and significance include construction and design applications such as countertops, tiles, floor and wall cladding, monuments, and paving. It is valued for durability, weather resistance, and the variety of finishes produced by polishing or roughening the surface. Environmental and quarrying considerations accompany its extraction, guiding sustainable practices in modern mining.