Granite is a natural stone and has been used as a building material for many centuries. Granite is an igneous rock, which means that it is formed by volcanic activity, which strength approaches that of diamonds. The granite mineral composition is composed primarily of quartz, mica and feldspar as well as other minerals. The minerals are what determine the color variations in the stone.
Granite is blasted from quarries in large blocks and then sliced like a loaf of bread to create bundles. The granite slabs in that bundle will match and mimic each other in directionality and color variation. Most slabs are rarely longer than 10 feet long.
Is it ok to cut on granite? Granite is scratch resistant but we still recommend using a trivet to save your knives. It is also heat resistant but the mica and feldspar pieces can chip out if heat is applied directly. We recommend using a hot pad or trivet rather than the countertop directly.