| Most everyone can appreciate the intrinsic beauty | | | | been since 1750. |
| of a granite countertop but beyond knowing that | | | | - Granite is excellent for rock climbing. Many |
| granite is a rock, what exactly is it? Here are a | | | | artificial climbing systems are designed to mimic |
| few facts that might just help you win your next | | | | the physical properties of granite. |
| game of Trivial Pursuit: | | | | After reading that list, your brain should be alive |
| - Granite is widely distributed in the Earth's crust | | | | with knowledge! As touched on above, granite is |
| and is made of a crystalline structure. | | | | also excellent at adding beauty to your home. It is |
| - It is an intrusive igneous rock meaning that it | | | | commonly used for countertops but can also be |
| solidified slowly from magma under the Earths | | | | used for fireplace surrounds or floor tiles. Granite's |
| surface. | | | | beauty stems from it ability to be highly polished |
| - If the magma had made it to surface and then | | | | and from its uniqueness. Since granite is a natural |
| cooled, it would be an extrusive igneous rock and | | | | product, no two stones will be identical resulting in |
| would possess smaller crystals. | | | | countertops or other adornments to your home |
| - Granite can consist of many different minerals | | | | that are truly original. |
| especially feldspar and quartz which are stronger | | | | Granite works well in the home as it is very |
| than steel making granite one the strongest rocks. | | | | durable and is extremely difficult to scratch or |
| - Depending on the specific mineral composition, | | | | break when installed properly. Additionally, unlike a |
| granite can range in color from pink to white to | | | | laminate countertop it can never be worn through. |
| gray and black. | | | | You have likely seen unsightly brown or black |
| - The texture of granite is determined by its rate | | | | sections on laminate countertops where the |
| of cooling Prominent granite producers are Brazil, | | | | surface finish has been worn away over time. |
| Italy, India and China. | | | | This is simply not a problem with granite. |
| - The sarcophagus in the Great Pyramid of Giza is | | | | Hopefully, these tidbits have helped you |
| made of red Aswan granite. | | | | appreciate granite and given you the ability to look |
| - Many Hindu temples in India are made of granite. | | | | like a genius the next time you are chatting at a |
| - Certain types of granite are radioactive and | | | | party over a granite countertop. Certainly, starting |
| contain 10 to 20 parts per million of uranium. | | | | a conversation off with "you know, this |
| - The odd sport that is generally only seen on the | | | | countertop is roughly 70% silicon dioxide" is a sure |
| Olympics, curling, utilizes granite. The stones that | | | | fire path to winning friends and popularity! |
| slide down the ice are made of granite and have | | | | |