Granite general, descriptive field term for lighter-colored, coarse-grained igneous rocks. Petrographic examination is required for identification of specific types of granitoids. The extrusive igneous rock equivalent of granite is rhyolite. Granite is nearly always massive (i.e., lacking any internal structures), hard, and tough. These properties have made granite a widespread construction stone throughout human history. The average density of granite is between , its compressive strength usually lies above 200 MPa, and its viscosity near STP is 3–6·10 Pa·s. The melting temperature of dry granite at ambient pressure is ; it is strongly reduced in the presence of water, down to
California Coastal Comm'n v. Granite Rock Co. largest in California, and the largest west of the Rocky Mountains. In 1980, Granite Rock submitted to the Forest Service a five-year plan to remove substantial amounts of limestone from a quarry on the south face of Pico Blanco within the National Forest boundary. The Forest Service prepared an Environmental Assessment of the plan and recommended some modifications, which Granite Rock implemented. When Graniterock obtained the permit in 1983, it began to excavate a open pit mine. The California Coastal Commission required Granite Rock to apply for a coastal development permit for any mining undertaken after the date of notification.