The Process Of Granite Formation

Granite is more common in continental crust than in oceanic crust and has a felsic composition.

The process of granite formation. Since the time required to form granite is rather long it is both a strong and valuable stone. Generally the slower the molten rock cooled the larger it s mineral crystals with k feldspar megacrysts forming in special circumstances greater than 5cm. Granite is an intrusive igneous rock which means it was formed in place during the cooling of molten rock. Granite crystallizes from silica rich magmas that are miles deep in earth s crust.

Granite is formed by the solidification of magma under the earth s surface. Granite s formation inside the earth below what is known as the mantle layer is a layer of molten rock formed by radioactive elements that occur naturally as the ground breaks down and decays. This is an extremely slow process. Granite is actually made up of several different minerals including feldspar and quartz.

Many mineral deposits form near crystallizing granite bodies from the hydrothermal solutions that such bodies release. Formation of granite is explained below. To form granite magma must first cool underground. The decaying material releases a significant amount of heat which melts the rocks around it.

The name appeared for the first time in works of the english botanists physician and philosopher caesalpinus in the 16th century. The rocks in the earth s crust continuously undergo changes in their composition which leads to formation of other rocks.