GRANITE	A foliated crystalline rock composed essentially of silicate minerals with interlocking and visibly granular texture, and in which the foliation is due primarily to alternating layers, regular or irregular, of contrasting mineralogic composition. In general, gneiss is characterised by relatively thick layers as compared with schist. According to their mineralogic compositions, gneisses may correspond to other rocks of crystalline, visibly granular, interlocking texture, such as those included under the definition of commercial granite, and may then be known as granite gneiss if strongly foliated, or gneissic granite if weakly foliated.
GROUP	Igneous
COMMON ROCK-FORMING MINERAL GROUP	Siliceous
COMPOSITION	Feldspar, quartz, and small amounts of mica are the primary minerals of the average granite with minor accessory minerals.
HARDNESS	Hard
MOHS' SCALE	5 - 7
POROSITY	0.4 - 1.5 %
ABSORPTION	0.2 - 0.5 %
WEATHERING CHARACTERISTICS	Generally good to excellent. However, like any other material it has its vulnerable points... Some varieties contain ferrous mineral compounds that when continuously exposed to moisture, such as in marine coastal environments, will undergo mineralogical changes and being to produce discolouration's (rust spots)... In exterior applications, depending on the environmental conditions and the finish, darker granites, those with red and black minerals, have a tendency to fade somewhat.
TENDENCIES	Absorbs oils and some will absorb other liquids. Generally not affected by acidic foods and drinks, however, polished granites can be etched by hydrofluoric acid and concentrated acids which are found in some household cleaning products. Some granite varieties when used in water features (spas and fountains), will begin to show signs of deterioration in a few years.
COLOURS	Granite is found in more than a hundred distinct colours with varying patterns.
NOTATIONS	When granite is used in the kitchen and bathroom it is highly recommended to treat the stone with an oil repellent... The grain size varies with this stone, from small, medium to coarse. This is important to understand for two reasons... 1. With larger mineral grains or a combination of different grain sizes, the stone has a tendency to be more absorbent... 2. Some varieties are composed with a combination of different grain sizes. This natural characteristic is more noticeable in highly polished finishes. The surface of the stone may appear to have tiny random pitting and a question that is often asked, "is the finish of this granite defective in some way?", and the answer is usually "no". A real tight finish is not completely attainable with some of these varieties of granites. This characteristic is often not detected by viewing small samples of the stone... With textured exterior installations it is advisable to treat the stone with a water and soil repellent. Many of the texturing processes create and expose micro fractures in the stone's surface increasing the absorption factor of the stone. * Contrary to popular opinion granite will stain.