Granite

GRANITE

Granite is a volcanic stone composed of quartz and feldspar, mica, amphiboles and various minerals. It is called a volcanic stone as it results from the cooling of molten magma underground.

During the heating and subsequent slow cooling process, granite is formed as an extremely hard material. The abundance and different variations of additional minerals allow the many different colors and textures seen in granite countertops.

If quartz and albite ratios are high, granite consists of white and gray colors; If potassium and feldspar ratios are high, granite is seen in pink and shades.

Granite in nature; It is a plutonic rock in the form of granites, dyke, silica and batholiths, it is a granular-looking magmatic depth mass composed of hard crystalline minerals.

Granite has been an important material since ancient times. It is used in the lower layers of constructions, especially in buildings such as monuments where moisture resistance is important.

The most important share in natural stone exports belongs to processed marble products with 72%. This is followed by raw / block marble and granites. There are rich granite deposits in our country, especially in paleozoic aged lands. Granite needs of our country can be met with the enterprises to be established in these areas. The granite sector in our country, which has approximately 40% of the world’s natural stone reserves, and has natural stone types of up to 650 colors and textures; The modern block production methods that started to be applied in the quarries, the integrated production facilities that came into operation with great investments, the start of easier and more economical production due to the developments in processing techniques and the more preferred decoration material has recently grown at a noticeable level. Granite, the hardest building material in nature; It is preferred in various places for decorative purposes due to its resistance to chemicals, durability, rich color and texture variety, and aesthetic appearance.Due to the architectural characteristics of protecting buildings from external factors, preserving the indoor climate, requiring the least periodic maintenance and maintaining the first day appearance for years, granite widely meets the needs of the building sector.Granite, the hardest natural stone type, is the most imported natural stone in the world as a processed product. Granite has been widely used as a dimension stone in public and commercial buildings, monuments and floors. In Scotland, Aberdeeen is known as the ‘Granite City’ because local granite was built mainly. Granite is mostly processed as a “dimension stone“. Dimension stone is a natural rock material cut into blocks or slabs of specific length, width and thickness. Granite is hard enough to resist abrasion, the hardness of granite is 6.5-7 moh. Granite is durable enough to withstand weather conditions and can accept a shiny polish. They do not get affected by ultraviolet rays and discolor, they always show their texture and color. Granite wastes can be used effectively as abrasive material in sedimentary rocks. As is known, granites mainly consist of minerals such as feldspar, quartz and plagioclase. In this respect, it can be said that there is no mineral that can react with water in the composition of granite wastes. The feldsipat in granite realizes it to the lowest water absorption. Thus, the water used in wet places does not leak, and there is no dirt left on the material. With these features, granite makes it a highly desired and used dimension stone. Granite is spent in the market in two forms, crushed stone and block stone. It is mainly used as crushed stone in road construction, in the form of sand for concrete mortar, as railway ballast, in preparation of filtration layers in well gravel, wave breakers and dam-filled weirs.In the classification used in the commercial market, among the stones used as granite decorative, syenite, serpentine, diabase etc. Along with the siliceous series stones are included in the subclass.  Today, the main usage areas of granite are the areas where decorative stones are needed and the construction sector. Granites can be divided into two categories in terms of usage area:• Granite slabs, • Usage of granite paving stones. It is possible to see granite in the flooring and wall covering of the interiors of the buildings, in the steps, columns, fireplaces, kitchens and bathrooms, and in the exteriors of the buildings.In addition, it is used as parquet on the outer floors, as well as in the production of many decorative items and tombstones. The use of granite is increasing in public environments and / or production facilities where hygienic conditions are required; Such as hospitals, airports, bus terminals. Granite fragments are used as mosaics or in artificial marble production. Granite is especially used in works that require meticulousness in terms of both pattern (decoration) and durability.Paving stones are mostly made of hard and siliceous stones such as granite, andesite trachyte, rhyolite since they are used as floor covering in places with heavy vehicle and pedestrian traffic and walking areas.Granite is an industrial rock used for aesthetic purposes due to its availability in different colors and designs. In the decoration art, granites can be used with other granite of different colors, as well as with other decorative rocks in different colors.

Granite is used today as a construction and architectural material in indoor and outdoor applications. Indoors; It is widely used in kitchen and bathroom worktops, flooring, wall and stair coverings, elevators, fireplaces, tables and decorative items. When examined in terms of the prevalence of use of kitchen countertop materials, it is seen that they mostly prefer marble and granite, and at least quartz-based stone, ceramic and acrylic-based stone material.

Economical of marble, laminate coating and marble among countertop materials: quartz-based stone, acrylic-based stone, granite and ceramic are resistant to mechanical effects (impact, abrasion and scratching, etc.): Acrylic-based stone, quartz-based stone and granite physical (water absorption, It is seen that they prefer it because it is resistant to the effects of humidity, temperature etc.).

Granite is used outdoors; They are widely used in facade cladding, flooring, paving and curbstones, pools, fountains, sculpture, barbecue and landscaping areas. While rough cut and polished granite is an important part of buildings, bridges, sidewalks, monuments and many other exterior and interior projects, it has also been a frequently chosen stone because it is a prestigious material used to produce impressions of elegance, durability and lasting quality.

Block granite obtained from the quarries in the sector is turned into slabs after cutting. Surface treated plates are widely demanded both in domestic and foreign trade as processed granite. Cobblestone, cubic stone etc. obtained by crushing stone from granite block pieces. The stones used in pavement and road construction are also offered to trade as processed granite.