My kid asked if granite was just a big rock and it made me stop.

I was showing him a piece of pink granite from a job in Barre, Vermont, and he said 'it's just a big rock, right?' I realized I never explained how it's a mix of three minerals that cooled slowly underground. How do you guys explain complex rocks to people who don't know geology?

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evan_burns956mo ago

Barre, Vermont granite is basically a rock recipe.

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patricia_schmidt146mo ago

Actually @evan_burns95, it's not a recipe since it's natural, but the mineral mix is definitely what makes it special.

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the_christopher6mo ago

Yeah, calling it a rock recipe is spot on. I read that the specific mix of minerals there, like feldspar and quartz, is what makes it so good for carving. It's got a really fine grain so it doesn't chip easily. That's why you see it used in so many detailed monuments and headstones. Pretty cool how the geology of one place can be perfect for that.

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