Granite is a common type of felsic intrusive igneous rock, which is found in the continental layer of the earth’s crust. Granite is formed underground by the cooling of magma. Deep inside the earth, past the mantle layer, there is a deep layer of molten rock. The molten rock is formed when naturally occurring radioactive elements inside the ground break down and decay. The reaction of the decaying material frees large amounts of heat, melting the rocks around it. As geological events happen, like the moving of plates or the build-up of pressure from heat, the molten rocks get pushed toward the surface. As the rock gets closer to the surface, it also cools, creating internal igneous rocks. One of these rocks is granite.

Granite is mainly …show more content…
Granite is mostly found at the convergent plate boundaries where a part of the ocean lithosphere submerges underneath the continental plate boundary. Granite quarries become visible after land has been eroded, exposing the rock. Traditionally, Italy, USA, and Canada are very popular sources of granite, but China, India, and several locations in Africa and South America are big suppliers of granite to the rest of the world.

huge teams of workers use a variety of immense, specialized equipment and products such as extractors, cranes, tamb rock machines, and chemicals. The teams then slowly dig around the slabs of granite to break them free. Once the slabs have been broken free they are pulled to large trucks that are able to carry heavy loads, or are sometimes processed on site, where they are found, depending on the mine. These granite slabs can sometimes weigh up to 40 tons.
Due to the structure of granite, it is never quarried by blasting because this would cause the granite to shatter. Two methods called Drilling and Jet Piercing, are used to …show more content…
The sandblast carving involves putting a rubber sheet on the granites surface. A design is cut out of the placed rubber sheet. Using air pressure, rough particles are blown over the surface, which cuts away at the exposed surface without damaging the covered surface. The rubber is then removed, leaving behind a design on the surface.
Carving: Carving a granite block or slab into statues, artefacts, articles or monuments are done by artisans, sculptors or workers. Compressed air along with a sharp chisel and other necessary tools are required to do this. A lot of experience and attention are required to transform a granite block or slab into a desired structure.
Etching: This process removes the uppermost polished layer of the stone leaving behind a thin line or detailed design over the surface of the granite. This is achieved by a vibrator-based etching tool with a diamond tip or computerized laser etching machine. This process also requires high skill levels and is usually performed by an expert. With laser etching, it is possible to make an exact copy of any photograph or design on the surface of