Granite — Not only is granite beautiful, but it's also more durable and resistant to freeze-thaw cycles than most other hardscape materials. In addition, granite has a low absorption rate and is highly resistant to fire and heat. Depending on the type, granite is rated six or seven out of 10 on the Mohs Hardness Scale.
Made from the crystalized form of hot liquid magma, granite is one of the toughest natural stones. This incredible material is also one of the most heat and scratch-resistant natural stones available. It resists chips and cracks and burn marks, so you can place hot cookware on it without worry.
Diamonds are the hardest stone, while talc (for example) is a very soft mineral. The scale by which the hardness of minerals is measured is the Mohs Hardness Scale, which compares the resistance of a mineral to being scratched by ten standard reference minerals that vary in hardness.
Both granite and quartzite are very hard, but on the Mohs scale of hardness (from 1 to 10, with 10 being hardest) quartzite has the slight edge. It measures around 7 whereas granite measures around 6 to 6.5. While quartzite is slightly harder than granite, it's important to understand that it's not bullet proof.
Quartz is actually harder than granite and thus, more durable. In fact, quartz is nearly indestructible, and because it isn't porous like granite, it's easy to keep your countertops relatively bacteria-free.
Granite is often cited as the most durable natural countertop material and is known for resisting cracks and chips. However, as a manufactured material, quartz rates a bit higher on the hardness scale and is slightly more resistant to damage.
Corundum (such as ruby and sapphire) however are the most durable stones, measuring 8 on the Mohs Scale and considered 'excellent' for toughness. If you're wondering which stones are best for everyday wear such as an engagement ring, sapphire, ruby and diamond are wonderful choices.
Biotite and/or hornblende constitute the dark minerals. Because of its coloring, it is often confused with granite, but whereas granite contains more than 20% quartz, quartz monzonite is only 5–20% quartz. Rock with less than five percent quartz is classified as monzonite.
Scientists have found a mineral stronger than diamond. They say lonsdaleite could be used to fortify industrial tools like drill bits and saw blades - AND teach us about the evolution of earth.
Diamond is the hardest and rates a 10, while granite is the toughest natural stone at 6. Limestone comes in at 3 as does its metamorphic counterpart, marble. Softer stone is easier to dress or carve but does not wear or weather quite as well as harder stone.
Moissanite, a naturally occurring silicon-carbide, is almost as hard as diamond. It is a rare mineral, discovered by the French chemist Henri Moissan in 1893 while examining rock samples from a meteor crater located in Canyon Diablo, Arizona.
Moissanite: The Second Hardest Mineral in Nature after Diamond. The colors seen in moissanite from the Mount Carmel area of northern Israel range from dark blue to light green. photo by Aurélien Delaunay. Moissanite is the name given to naturally occurring silicon carbide and to its various crystalline polymorphs.
Quartz is an incredible material and easy to clean.
The beauty of natural stone with the durability of a manufactured one. For heavier stains, glass or surface cleaners will do the trick since quartz is non-porous and you don't have to be as finicky with the pH as you would with granite.
Diamond. The scintillating gem is the birthstone for April, and the name comes from the Green word meaning “invincible” or “unbreakable”.
Granite. Granite is a very popular choice for stone outdoor kitchens because of its durability. It is fade-resistant and can withstand the hot summer sun.
While Titanium Granite does sometimes have traces of gold or copper in it, it is primarily black and white. Its swirls have that same distinct look of molten rock, but in this case the colors are those of cooled lava: off-white and jet black.
Uluru may be the world's most famous rock but despite a common perception, it isn't the world's largest. Located in the state of Western Australia, Mount Augustus is the world's largest rock and is approximately two-and-a-half times the size of Uluru!
The black minerals are hornblende and sparkly biotite. The white mineral is feldspar, and the clear mineral is quartz. These four minerals combine and make up granite.
What you should be looking for are the far superior investment-quality gemstones. Sapphires, rubies, emeralds, demantoids, aquamarines, tsavorites, spinels, tourmalines or alexandrite are the most notable among these, but we'll also talk briefly about the more common favorites like pearls and diamonds.
Both tile and stone flooring offers extensive durability, with product lifespans ranging from 50 to more than 100 years.
Quartz Countertops
Quartz is one of the strongest materials you can use, making it one of the best-value countertops available. Both scratch- and stain-resistant, quartz countertops can look brand new for years even after withstanding heavy usage.
You Can't Set Hot Pans on Them
Although quartz countertops are extremely durable and considered heat-resistant, putting a hot pan right on the surface can damage the material. As with most other countertops, you'll need to use a trivet or stove mitt to protect it, as heat can cause discoloration and/or cracking.
Granite is naturally heat resistant, and heat damage would occur only if the granite was heated unevenly. So briefly putting a hot pan down on your granite countertop isn't going to cause long-term damage. That said, we don't recommend putting hot pans on granite countertops — not for the granite's sake but for yours.
The softest mineral that features on the scale is Talc at 1, and everyday objects of hardness such as pencil lead (1.5), finger nails (2.5) and window glass (5.5) can help you get a true value of the scale.