Granite appearance. Granite: what kind of stone is it, what is it made of and where is it used? Origin of the word granite

The modern construction industry offers consumers a huge amount of materials that can accelerate, facilitate, and embellish the result of renovation work or the construction of new premises. but a natural stone still has not surrendered its positions. It is still in demand and popular. What can we say about our ancestors who knew about the merits natural materials, perhaps, much better than us. It is not for nothing that they say that granite is a mineral: thanks to it, architectural masterpieces and unique sculptures have survived to this day.

How he was educated

It is thanks to the method of its origin that granite acquired its inherent unique properties... All its varieties are formed by volcanic eruptions: the outpouring magma flowed into the earth's cavities located very deep below the surface. The enormous temperatures of these masses decreased gradually, and even under significant pressure, which was exerted on them by the layers of the earth located above. As a result, igneous rocks fully crystallized, forming granite - a mineral.

Appearance and physical properties of the stone

Translated from the language Ancient Greece its name means "grains", "graininess". At the same time, the relative porosity of granite is rather low: even in coarse-grained varieties (the "coarse" among all three structures), it rarely exceeds 6-7 mm. And in fine-grained varieties, the grain diameter does not even reach two. At the same time, the size of the "cells" seriously affects the strength and durability of structures made of this stone - the smaller their diameter, the stronger the granite.

In addition to its strength and density, granite is also characterized by decorativeness. It increases with polishing. The black variety is the most common and the least valuable. Color options are pink (up to red), and green and yellow. Such rocks are widely used in architecture and construction.

Building advantages of granite

This stone, especially its fine-grained varieties, is amazingly resistant to the influence of time: even after five hundred years, destruction is just beginning to manifest itself. At the same time, it very successfully resists friction, is difficult to compress and is resistant to abrasion. The atmospheric influences also have little effect on granite. A mineral of this type lends itself little to acids and practically does not absorb water, which makes it an ideal material for the decoration of embankments, including the coastal strip of the sea.

It is equally important that this natural stone does not actually lend itself to the effects of frost (very important in our latitudes!) And gets dirty very badly.

Granite is also perfect for finishing, since it is in harmony with metal parts, and with wood, and with ceramic parts, and with the most modern materials. And for all our finickyness, we must admit that natural stone perfectly keeps cool in summer, and warm at home in winter.

Granite aesthetics

In addition to the purely utilitarian advantages, this stone has a good polishing, showing its unique structure and richness of colors. But many designers are happy to use the unpolished granite structure, which perfectly absorbs light and creates wild and unusual interiors.

A variety of color tones can satisfy even the most picky esthete: among the richness of tones, there will certainly be what he needs. Indeed, perhaps, among all the facing and building materials, there is no other as attractive as granite - the photos fully reflect its beauty.

What is the "fault" of granite

As it should be, this huge "barrel of honey" necessarily has a "fly in the ointment". Among the disadvantages of this natural stone, it is necessary to note the residual radiation inherent in some types of granite. Therefore, it is mainly used for outdoor work. And those lumps that are intended for internal use must undergo a scrupulous check so as not to harm the health of people later.

In addition, the increased strength of the stone, which has already been attributed to its undoubted advantages, is at the same time its disadvantage. The extraction of granite is complicated by its hardness and combined fragility. You have to resort to expensive tricks to get a large enough piece of stone intact, and then put in a lot of work to bring it to mind. That is why granite works are so expensive.

Development features

For most solid minerals, it is not so important in what form they will be removed from the vein, because they are supposed to be further processed (smelting, burning, etc.). Therefore, crushing the surrounding rocks does not harm the extracted substance, the main thing here is the convenience of the extraction itself. A completely different matter is facing materials, which include granite. For him, it is essential to extract a monolithic block without cracks and chips, since these defects cannot be hidden by any subsequent tricks. Moreover, such restrictions apply both during storage and during transportation, which significantly complicates the whole process. And if a message is received about minerals (granite among them), it is necessary to carry out a whole range of additional measures aimed at saving the extracted integrity.

The most common method

Exists different ways extraction of granite, and on which one was used, the quality of the resulting stone directly depends. At the moment, three methods are known, and, unfortunately, the most barbaric one is most often used - explosive. It consists in drilling a hole for the charge, which explodes. The fragments are sorted, blocks are cut out of the largest ones. For most of the earners, this method is attractive because of its low cost. However, the quality of granite in this case is very low: the blast wave generates a lot of defects in the blocks, as a result of which their strength decreases. Yes, and there are not so many large fragments at the exit - at least a third of the granite crumbles and is suitable only for processing into gravel.

Air extraction

This is a more gentle way. The beginning is similar to the first option: a well is drilled in the desired direction, a reservoir is placed into it, where air is pumped under pressure. This method makes it possible to more fully exploit the granite deposit, calculate the fault locations and avoid block damage, including even microscopic cracks. There are much more monoliths and much less waste. However, the mining company will require upfront investment in equipment, and the method itself takes longer than the explosive one.

The most modern version

It is also the most expensive one. It is called the "stonecutting method" and requires the purchase of very expensive equipment and personnel training. But granite (like any other natural stone) at the exit is of ideal quality, without the slightest defects (both external and hidden). And the deposit is being developed by almost 100%.

Russian deposits

The extraction of granite in Russia, sadly, is carried out mainly by artisanal, explosive methods. This is despite the fact that there are many deposits here. Such a natural stone is mined in the Urals, in Primorye, in the Khabarovsk Territory, in Transbaikalia, in the Sayan Mountains. There are deposits in the Moscow region. The production is mainly carried out by small private companies, whose volumes are steadily increasing, despite the fact that the main deposits are located in the Urals. They are developed with great difficulty due to climatic difficulties, which increases the required capital investment and increases the cost of granite. However, the increase in the number of people with high incomes increases the demand for natural stone and stimulates the development of this industry.

GRANITE is a crystalline rock consisting of feldspar, mica and quartz.

Granites are a widespread rock found on all continents of our planet. Sometimes they come to the surface in areas composed of ancient rocks, where the overlying sediments have been destroyed as a result of erosion processes.

However, in most cases, the solidified magma from which the granites were formed does not reach the surface of the earth's crust and solidifies (crystallizes) at different depths, forming bodies of unequal shapes and sizes. Granite, as a rule, has a granular structure: from fine to coarse

Granite is a natural natural stone of complex composition. Mainly formed from feldspars, mica and quartz

TITLE

Granite (from lat.granum - grain)

COLOR

It acquires different colors depending on the proportional combination of minerals. Has a rich color range: from black - to the traditional red-burgundy with black - to white and gray.

By the way, it is feldspar and quartz that create the “spotting” effect.

Granite is coarse-grained, medium-grained and fine-grained. This amazing stone has a rich color range: from the traditional red-burgundy version with black specks to white with gray splashes (and vice versa).

The most common granites are gray (Siberian, Gray Quenna) and black (Absolute Black, Nero Africa), but there are also rocks of pink-red (Rosso Marina), white (Mansurovsky), yellow (Zhiltau) and green ( Forest Green) tones.

PLACE OF BIRTH

Granites are a widespread rock found on all continents of our planet.

In the United States, granites are widespread along the Atlantic coast (from Maine in the north to Georgia in the south), compose large massifs in the north of the country, in the central Ozark plateau, in the Black Hills and the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains.

In Russia, there are about 50 deposits of granite, suitable for use as a piece stone, as well as rubble and rubble - on the Karelian Isthmus, in the Onega and Ladoga regions, Arkhangelsk and Voronezh regions, in the Urals, in Primorye and Khabarovsk Territory, Eastern Transbaikalia.

A large granite deposit is located in Ukraine. The Ukrainian crystal shield stretches across the entire territory of the country, from the northwest to the southeast. The width of its part, directly exposed to the surface, is 200 km, and the length is about 1000 km. It is on this strip that the main deposits of decorative stone are concentrated.

QUALITY

1.Longevity. The best grades of fine-grained granite begin to show the first signs of destruction after more than 500 years, therefore it is often called the "eternal" stone;

2. Strength. Granite is highly resistant to friction, compression and abrasion. It is a very dense (2.6-2.7 t / m³) and durable stone (its compressive strength is 90-250 MPa - twice that of marble);

3. Resistance to weathering and acids. Granite is an ideal stone for exterior decoration of buildings.

4.Waterproof. Granite practically does not absorb moisture (water absorption coefficient - 0.05–0.17%). That is why granite is perfect for facing embankments.

5. Environmentally friendly. Contrary to the prevailing prejudices, the natural radiation level of most granites corresponds to the 1st class - i.e. they are radiation safe and suitable for all types of construction without restrictions;

6. A wealth of textures. Unpolished, rough stone that absorbs light; polished to a mirror shine, showing the world a unique light play of mica inclusions - the decorative possibilities of granite can satisfy even the most complex design ideas;

7.Compatibility with other materials. Granite goes well with wood, metal, ceramics and other materials used in modern construction. It will "fit" into any interior - from classic to ultramodern;

8 rich color palette... The most common is gray granite, but there are also red, pink, orange, bluish gray, bluish green.

APPLICATION

In modern construction, granite is used so widely that it, without exaggeration, can be called a universal material.

Floors, stairs. Granite is a material with a very low level of abrasion. Even if 1 million people walk the stairs in your personal apartment in a year, they will be able to erase its steps by no more than 0.12 mm;

Various interior details. Window sills, cornices, baseboards, railings, furniture countertops, coffee tables, bar counters, balusters, columns - the high strength of granite will allow these items to remain safe and sound for many years, avoid mechanical damage due to temperature and humidity;

Facade and interior decoration. Granite is a very ergonomic material that can provide you with a comfortable stay in the building;

The elements landscape design... Alpine slide, rockery, Japanese gardens, decorative ponds - made of granite, these fashionable compositions will give your garden a natural and unique character.

Curbs, steps, paving stones. Granite is successfully used in places where great "endurance" is required. It is resistant to mechanical stress, chemical pollution and temperature changes - it does not change its properties during hundreds of freezing and thawing cycles.

Facing of embankments. Granite practically does not absorb moisture - accordingly, with a decrease in temperature, additional internal pressure from frozen water does not form in the pores of the stone, which can lead to the formation of cracks and destruction of the rock.

Granite paving stones. The use of granite paving stones has been counted for thousands of years. The famous ancient Roman cobbled roads can still be walked on today; cobblestone streets can be found in the old part of any of the European capitals; v modern cities stone roads are gradually replacing asphalt and concrete.

MAGIC AND HEALING PROPERTIES

Since primitive times, man has become accustomed to trusting a stone. This natural, lively, "feeling" material will relieve psychological stress, bring coziness, tranquility and comfort to your home.

Have you ever wondered about the origin of the expression "gnaw the granite of science"? Why, when we speak of diligent and capable students, do we remember granite, and not any other stone? It turns out there is an explanation for this. According to some observations, granite has the ability to stimulate human mental activity, helping to achieve success in scientific research.

Granite is a rock that is distributed over the globe... This stone has a granular structure, therefore it is called granite: translated from Latin "granumÓ" means "grain". Natural stone granite occurs in the continental crust. It is a very good durable building material.

Granite is referred to as igneous rocks, the process of its formation consists in the slow cooling of magma, which has stopped in the upper layers of the earth's crust. Granite crystals are obtained due to prolonged cooling, this is due to the fact that the temperature in the earth is relatively constant. It is this feature that distinguishes granite from its analogs (rhyolites) of effusive origin, fine-grained rocks formed from magma, but on the earth's surface, where they were affected by more contrasting temperature and pressure.

Granite belongs to the group of acidic rocks, a subgroup of granitoids. It contains some minerals such as feldspars, biotite, quartz. Their components got into the still not cooled magma and formed the mineral base of the rock.

Stone properties:

Strength. One of the most important characteristics of this stone is its strength; therefore, granite is widely used in construction. Compressive strength ranges from 604 kg / cm² to 1800 kg / cm², it is also quite dense - 3.17 g / cm³.
Resistant to weather conditions. Having formed by magmatic means under relatively constant conditions, the stone acquired another positive property - this is low moisture absorption. This feature makes the stone resistant to water for a long time. And it is the ability to minimize moisture absorption that makes this rock solid.
Another advantage of granite is its fire resistance, the temperature at which the stone begins to crack is in the range of + 650 ... + 1260 ° С. This makes the material ideal for cladding buildings, as it does not degrade when exposed to natural phenomena... The stone does not lose its properties, even after 300 freezing cycles.
Ecologically pure. Most of the mined rock is absolutely safe for exploitation. But 2-3% of all extracted material may exceed the radiation level. This is due to the fact that impurities of cerium, lanthanum, etc. got into the magma. Taking into account this fact, before using granite in residential buildings, it must be checked for radioactivity.
Various colors. Most often the breed has grey colour, but its shades are varied and have white, pink, yellow, red, bluish green, orange, brown and black colors. If the rock contains a lot of silicon dioxide, then lighter shades prevail. The color also depends on the rock deposit, for example, in Spain, light green and pink granite is most often mined. Unusual color combinations and inclusions of mica make this stone attractive not only for decorating buildings, but also for creating sculptures and decor items.

Varieties of stone

According to their structure, granite crystals are coarse-grained, medium-grained and fine-grained. It should be noted that fine-grained samples of the highest grade begin to deteriorate after more than 450-500 years of use. Types of granite can be divided into 2 groups: with or without dark-colored components and differing in structure and texture. The first group includes:

Alaskite without dark-colored impurities.
Biotite contains about 8% biotite.
Two-mica - in the composition of muscovite and biotite.
Leucogranite with a low content of dark-colored minerals.
Lithium fluoride includes lithium mica.
Pyroxene is a rare species containing quartz, orthoclase and augite.
Hornblende - containing hornblende, sometimes with an admixture of biotite.
The alkaline species contains alkaline constituents.

Group 2 of magmatic granite includes:

Muscovite or pegmatite granite. It is composed of quartz, muscovite and orthoclase. Written granite is a striking representative of this type, since its drawing resembles Hebrew writing.
Amazonite bluish and green shades include green feldspar.
Porphyritic has elongated disseminations of microcline, quartz, orthoclase.
Gneissic - usually fine-grained stone with hornblende inclusions.
Finnish granite with round blotches of red orthoclase.
Pegmatoid - a species characterized by uniform granularity.
Lezinovsky has a pink and rose-red hue, a fairly popular type of granite.

Due to its properties, the stone is widely used as an ornamental material, as well as in architecture and construction.

Application

Since this stone has many properties related to strength and durability, granite is widely used in construction. So even during the reign of the pharaohs in Egypt, structures with granite columns and steps were erected. To this day, the material is used for cladding buildings, creating columns, window sills, bridges, park paths, statues, etc.

The variety of colors and types allows the use of stone to create monuments, decor details, countertops, flowerpots, fountains, etc. The durability and high strength of the material make it possible to clad not only buildings, but also embankments, giving cities a unique look.

If a high-strength foundation is required during the construction of a building, then granite in the form of crushed stone or rubble stone is used for it. Granite chips are used for the construction of an embankment along railway tracks.

A significant drawback of the material is its ability to emit and accumulate radiation, which makes it unsuitable for indoor use, but not all types of rocks have these properties. Extraction of granite is costly and effortless. It polishes fairly well, but its high strength makes it difficult to work with. All these factors make the stone more expensive.

The stone is a very popular rock. Its durability and strength allows it to immortalize the architectural and engineering creations of mankind.

Granite has been known since ancient times. This is one of the most famous rocks. This stone is found on almost all continents of the Earth. At times, it comes to the surface in places of occurrence of age-old rocks damaged by erosion. But most often, frozen magma (which granite consists of) does not reach the earth's surface and freezes at different depths, forming bodies of unequal size and configuration. It is from the destroyed rocks that the soil consists. What does it consist of?

Composition of granite

The composition of granite includes:

feldspars;
mica;
quartz;
some dark colored minerals.

Plagigranite- in its composition, most of it is plagioclase, and a smaller part is feldspar. This type is pinkish in color.

Alaskite- feldspar predominates here, but there are few dark-colored materials in it.

And there are also: syenite, amuse, diorite... Different types have dissimilar colors. The content of feldspar is responsible for the shade of the stone, which brings a certain color to the rock: from light pink to greenish, black, silver, golden, etc.

Granite has a grainy surface. Quartz is responsible for the size of the "grains". It is customary to classify this rock also by grain size into:

fine-grained (grain less than 2mm in size);
medium-grained (grains 2-10mm in size);
coarse-grained (grains larger than 10mm).

Fine-grained stones are considered the best.: they are less resistant to mechanical influences, wear out more uniformly during use, more resistant to weathering, less cracking when heated.

Granites with larger grains are slightly less resistant to heating: when the temperature rises above 600 degrees, they begin to grow in volume and crack. Therefore, sometimes after severe fires in houses where granite stairs were present, you can see that the stone steps are slightly cracked.

The main property of granite is its strength... What is Granite? This is, first of all, a very durable material, not subject to mechanical stress, temperature extremes (it is not afraid of drops above 100 degrees: it "feels" equally well both at +50 degrees and at -60 degrees), is not susceptible to fungal infections, fire resistant (melting point +700 degrees), resistant to acids. Even in the most difficult conditions, this stone remains flawless and retains its own strength. Cutting and grinding it is carried out only with diamond tools.

Specifications:

The strength of the material depends on its moisture absorption coefficient. The value of this coefficient for this rock surpasses all other materials and depends on the place of production: denser layers of the deposit are a condition for an excellent assessment of the rock. The depth of the rock, which determines the strength and density of granite, will further determine the field of application of the stone.

Deposits of granite

Found on almost all continents. You can even say that this rock - business card our planet.

In Russia, the largest deposits are located in the Urals, the Far East, Eastern Siberia, the Caucasus, and the Kola-Karelian (Karelo-Murmansk) region. In general, more than fifty deposits have been established where piece stone is mined. Many deposits are mined for rubble and crushed stone, sometimes granite blocks are also extracted from them, which are used for the manufacture of facing slabs. From time to time, the resulting blocks are hewn for piece stone or for architecture (making monuments).

In the post-Soviet space, the most significant deposits are in the Zaporozhye region of Ukraine (Mokryanskoe), in the Poltava region of Ukraine (Malokokhnovskoe), in the Brest region of Belarus (Mikashevichi). In general, over two hundred granite deposits have been developed on the territory of the former USSR.

Europe is also rich in granite deposits. For example, Italian stone (Sardinia island) - luxurious light pink "limbar", "sardo dew", etc. (Italy is the world leader in the creation of facing materials and products). In France, the main deposits are located in Brittany, and more than a hundred types of this stone are mined in France. In the UK, Scotland. Spain has a large group of highly decorative stone deposits, which it actively exports. Sweden, Finland (Finns are one of the largest suppliers of granite blocks to the whole world), Germany (Bavaria, Lower Saxony), Portugal.

It is known that there are huge deposits on the African continent, but due to the poor knowledge of this region, it is difficult to say what the characteristics of the rock mined there will be.

America is also replete with deposits of this "eternal" stone: in North America, mining is carried out in the states of Wisconsin, Georgia, Vermont, etc., there are deposits in Canada; in South America - Brazil, Argentina.

And in Australia, the famous blue labrador blue granite is mined.

Application

Due to its strength, granite has been used since ancient times in construction: this stone is very durable, it is practically not affected by any external stimuli(even during the construction of the well-known pyramids in Egypt, granite blocks were used), so the products of this stone have been well preserved for many centuries.

The stone lends itself well to processing, perfectly polished, polished (you can even create a mirror surface), so it is often used in the production of claddings, countertops, monuments, stairs and, of course, many their interior details.

Misconceptions about granite

For some reason, many believe that granite is very expensive for its price. The truth is that fake diamond will often have a much higher price than the popular natural varieties. Of course, this postulate does not apply to the cost of rare types of stone.

The opinion that granite is susceptible to cracking at high temperatures is also exaggerated. This is far from the case: the natural destruction of the stone lasts for many centuries.

And the most common misconception is the misconception about the background radiation emitted by a stone. In fact, this level is two times less than the established maximum permissible norms.

The result of all of the above may be the fact that granite is a stone extremely durable, beautiful and environmentally friendly.

Granite (from Latin granum - granule, grain) is a widespread intrusive igneous rock of acid composition. Liparite is an effusive analogue of granite. The presence of a granite layer is a key difference between continental and oceanic crust.

The color of granites is light, mainly due to the color of feldspars: light gray, yellowish, pink, reddish. The structure is granular (even-grained or uneven-grained), and it can be coarse-grained, medium-grained, fine-grained, fine-grained. Density 2.54-2.78 g / cm 3. Mohs hardness 5-7. Compressive strength reaches 300 MPa. Melting temperature is 1260 ° C.

Features. Granite is characterized by a granular structure, high hardness (leaves a scratch on the glass), content of feldspar and quartz, light color, low density. Granite is very similar to syenite and nepheline syenite. The difference is that quartz is absent in syenite and nepheline syenite; difference from nepheline syenite in the absence of nepheline.

Composition and photos of granite

Mineralogical composition of granite... It mainly consists of 60-65% feldspar, a lot of quartz 25-35%, in small amount mica is present 5-10%, sometimes hornblende. Dark-colored minerals (hornblende, biotite) make up about 5-10% of the rock.

Chemical composition ... SiO 2 68-72%, Al 2 O 3 15-18%, Na 2 O 3-6%, Fe 3 O 4 1-5%, CaO 1.5-4%, MgO up to 1.5%, etc.

Varieties:Granite Rapakivi(rotten stone) - granite with coarse grains of feldspars. Structure: coarse-grained.

Granite Granite stones Rapakivi granite cut

Origin of granite

Granite is an intrusive igneous rock. Granite magmatism is inherent in zones of collision of continental plates, where the thickness of the continental crust increases. Also, granites can form due to recrystallization of sedimentary and other rocks under the influence high temperature, high pressure and chemically active substances. This process is called "granitization".

Thus, granites can be of magmatic origin and can be formed due to granitization. Forms of occurrence: mostly batholiths, stocks, laccoliths, less often dikes of significant thickness. Forms of detachment: limestone, mattress.

Application of granite

Granite is used as a building and facing material. Blocks, slabs, cornices, curbs, parts of various machines and units for the pulp and paper, food (starch and treacle), machine-tool, metallurgical and porcelain-faience industries are made of granite. Since granite, unlike metal, is not susceptible to acids and salts, it is not afraid of moisture.

Millstones and rollers for mills are made from it. Granite tiles are a material for making bases of precision instruments. Crushed granite is an important material for the manufacture of reinforced concrete products and structures, granite blocks - for the decoration of buildings. Granite is used to make monuments, countertops, stairs, and paving stones.

In the Black Hills mountain system, in Mount Rushmore, built with granites in honor of the 150th anniversary of US history, a world-famous bas-relief with portraits of four presidents was carved.

Portraits of US Presidents in Mount Rushmore Granites: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln

Deposits of granite

There are granite deposits on every continent of our planet. The largest deposits of granites are found in places where the crystalline basement comes to the surface in Karelia: Kupetskoye, Dugoretskoye. The largest in Europe is the Shkurlatskoye field in the Voronezh region (near the city of Pavlovsk). Rapakivi granite has been mined for over 100 years in the Leningrad Region at the Vozrozhdenie open pit.

In the Urals, granite is mined at the Mansurovsky, Yuzhno-Sultaevsky, Golovyrinsky deposits. Gray and pink granites are found in the Caucasus (Kabardino-Balkaria) and in Yakutia (Taloy).

Brick-red granites are mined at the Verkhne-Chebulinsky deposit in the Kemerovo region, and beige at the Udalovsky deposit in the Altai Republic. A coarse-grained rock of a pinkish-orange hue was found at the Ushkanskoye field in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Highly decorative amazonite bluish-green granite is mined at two deposits of the Chita region: Chalotuysky and Etykinsky.

Large deposits of granite are known in the Scandinavian Peninsula (associated with the outcrops of the crystalline basement to the surface) and in the USA.