{"product_id":"granite-pegmatite","title":"Granite pegmatite","description":"\u003cp\u003e, A \u003cspan\u003elight-coloured, igneous rock with an extremely coarse texture, made mainly of quartz, feldspar and mica, and often containing very large crystals. It forms from the last, water-rich melt of a cooling granite body.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlutonic Igneous\u003c\/strong\u003e. Cooled extremely slowly at depth in the Earth's crust, resulting in very large crystals. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSource location:\u003c\/strong\u003e South Westland.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSizes:\u003c\/strong\u003e Choose from dropdown menu: \u003cem\u003eSmall specimen\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eHand specimen\u003c\/em\u003e or \u003cem\u003eShelf specimen\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNote:\u003c\/strong\u003e Images are examples of specimens only. Sizes and shapes will vary\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMore detail\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eStructure\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGranite pegmatite is an intrusive igneous rock made of very large, interlocking crystals. It forms from the last, water-rich melt of a cooling granite body, so the crystals have space and time to grow unusually large — often centimetres to metres across.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eType\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlutonic (intrusive) igneous rock with a granitic (felsic) composition — essentially a very coarse-grained, late-stage granite. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003ePhysical properties\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eColour: Usually light – white, light grey, pink or cream — with visible large crystals of quartz, feldspar and mica; darker mica flakes can give a speckled look.   \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLustre: Crystalline and often quite shiny, especially on fresh surfaces; large mica plates can look sparkly or pearly.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHardness: Generally hard, around 6–7 on the Mohs scale, because quartz and feldspar dominate.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDensity: Typically about 2.6–2.8 g\/cm³, similar to ordinary granite.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eGeneral properties\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComposition: Mainly quartz, alkali feldspar and mica (muscovite and\/or biotite), sometimes with accessory minerals like tourmaline, beryl, garnet or lithium minerals in more complex pegmatites.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExtremely Coarse Texture: Defined by 'giant' crystals — much larger than in normal granite — due to slow cooling of a water-rich residual melt. \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDurability: Generally hard and durable, but the very large crystals and zoning can make some pegmatites more prone to splitting along crystal boundaries than uniform granite.  \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeat Resistance: Good heat resistance, similar to granite.  \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePorosity: Usually low when fresh, though cracks along large crystal contacts can let water in as the rock weathers. \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eUses in New Zealand and worldwide\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConstruction and Aggregate: Can be crushed for concrete aggregate, road base and landscaping fill where it is quarried, though it’s less commonly used this way than more uniform granites.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDimension Stone and Decorative Stone: Cut and polished for feature cladding, interior panels, benchtops and decorative elements where the dramatic, very coarse texture is wanted. \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLandscaping: Used as decorative rock or feature boulders in rockeries and gardens, especially for its light colour and striking crystals.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMonuments and Memorials: Occasionally used for monuments and headstones where local pegmatite has an attractive pattern, though its variable texture limits widespread use.  \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSculpture: Valued by some sculptors for its large crystals and distinctive look, but can be trickier to work than more even-grained stone.  \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIndustrial Minerals and Rare Elements: Worldwide, pegmatites are important sources of feldspar, quartz and mica for glass, ceramics and electronics, and in some cases of lithium, tantalum, beryllium and gem minerals like tourmaline, beryl and topaz.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGeological Studies: In New Zealand, granitic pegmatites (for example in the Alpine Schist) are studied to understand how the crust melted and evolved as Zealandia broke away from Gondwana.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Science Resource Box","offers":[{"title":"Small specimen","offer_id":43323554398375,"sku":null,"price":3.9,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Hand specimen","offer_id":43323554365607,"sku":"","price":6.95,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Shelf specimen","offer_id":43323554332839,"sku":"","price":13.95,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0534\/1193\/8471\/files\/Granite_pegmatite.jpg?v=1786333652","url":"https:\/\/scienceresourcebox.co.nz\/products\/granite-pegmatite","provider":"Science Resource Box","version":"1.0","type":"link"}