Granite is a coarse-grained, intrusive igneous rock formed primarily from quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It is recognized by its speckled appearance of light and dark minerals and is the most common rock of the continental crust, widely used in construction and sculpture.
Is this granite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch granite with a known reference. Granite sits at Mohs 6-7, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Read the textureLook at a fresh break with a hand lens. Texture: Phaneritic; interlocking and somewhat equigranular. Grain size: Coarse-grained.
- 3Pick out the mineralsComposition: Mostly quartz, alkali feldspar, mica and plagioclase, often with biotite or hornblende. Identify the two or three most abundant grains.
- 4Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 5Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white, gray, pink, red.
Often confused with
Granite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside granite
Minerals reported to co-occur with granite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Mohs hardness
- 6-7
- Density
- 2.6-2.7 g/cm³
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Decorative, Construction, Architecture, Monumental
- Host rock
- continental crust
- Texture
- Phaneritic; interlocking and somewhat equigranular
- Grain size
- Coarse-grained
- Composition
- Mostly quartz, alkali feldspar, mica and plagioclase, often with biotite or hornblende
Where rockhounds find granite
32 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- United States
- Brazil
- India
- China
- Norway
U.S. states with granite
Each link opens a state-specific list of mapped rockhounding spots that produce granite.
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: continental crust. If you start seeing quartz, feldspar, mica in float, you are in the right ground. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois. Start trip planning there.
More granite photos
Common questions
How do you identify granite?+
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What rocks look like granite?+
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Find granite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
