Granite begins as a liquid rock that rises from deep within the Earth. It rises as a kind of balloon, melting its way through the rocks above. When it is near the surface the rocks above crack and some of the liquid rock escapes as a volcano. The rest remains underground. It may take millions of years for this rock to cool, but when it does, so crystals grow in it and begin to interlock. The rock that is produced is a grey colour and is called granite.

Granite is seen at the surface only when rivers and the weather have carried away all of the rocks above it.

Granite is very hard and strong. So it is used to make the foundations of roads. Granite chippings is one of several materials that are mixed with tar to give the road a strong hard surface that will stand up to traffic.

Some kinds of granite have a very attractive appearance. This is due to the way the crystals in the rock are joined together. When the surface is polished the granite shines. Polished granite is used to decorate the fronts of some buildings such as libraries, museums and offices.