Is Granite one of the Strongest Rocks?

One of the most beautiful types of natural stone is granite. Not only does it attract the eye, but it’s also one of the strongest, most durable and versatile stones making it perfect to use as a counter top or as an architectural feature. Granite can withstand most of the potential hazards and wear and tear that other materials may not tolerate.

The Formation of Granite

The process of how the Earth churns the molten ingredients is what determines the makeup of the rock. Granite is formed through an unbelievably powerful heating process beneath the Earth’s surface and these pressures and temperatures are what makes granite one of the harder rocks. The larger minerals that make up granite show that it had a slow cooling process which took place beneath the surface.

Hardness Rating

Any mineral hardness is rated on a scale of 1 to 10 called the Mohs scale of hardness. Invented by Friedrich Mohs, a German mineralogist in 1812, the scale ranks minerals according to their ability to sustain or provide scratch marks. When a mineral is provided a scale of 1, it means it is very soft. A rank of 10 (such as a diamond) means it’s very hard.

Granite Rating

According to the Mohs scale, granite is classified between 6 and 7, giving it a relatively hard ranking. Granite is mostly comprised of feldspar and quartz, with a small amount of other various minerals. An example of how hard granite is would be the fact that a knife blade is unable to scratch a granite counter top surface. Since granite ranks between 6 and 7 on the Mohs scale, it would be able to scratch other minerals that rank lower on the scale such as marble. Natural quartz ranks as a 7 on the Mohs scale which primarily makes up the engineered granite counter tops.

Forensic Engineering Specialists

Engineering Specialists Inc. has nearly 30 years of field experience in analyzing the damage to vehicles, residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. We can work on any project in any state, nationwide. When you or your business needs to confirm the extent of damage or how to correct a problem, email us at office@esinationwide.com or call us, toll-free, at (877) 559-4010.

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