The journey of stone materials
Discover the history of your new stone surface. We’ll take you on a tour of the granite route, from the mines to your kitchen.
What is granite?
Granite is an igneous rock composed mainly of quartz, feldspars, micas and amphiboles, as well as a variety of other trace minerals. It is formed by the cooling of molten rock and high pressure. Depending on their mineral composition, granites can come in a variety of colors and textures!
Where is granite found?
Granite is found all over the world. In fact, it’s the stone beneath our tectonic plates! However, India and Brazil play the biggest role in granite production and export. India has one of the world’s largest reserves of granite, and with only 3% of total granite reserves explored, there’s no reason to expect depletion in the near future.
Brazil has more than 300 plants processing natural stone for export, including granite and marble. They also export hundreds of slabs and blocks to countries all over the world! Italy and China are also major granite and marble exporters.
How is granite quarried?
In the mining context, the granite we use for countertops isn’t buried very deep – it doesn’t come close to the Earth’s bedrock. In fact, the granite we use is always found near the surface and extracted from shallow quarries.
Small holes are drilled to create the desired block-sized shape, and explosives are then carefully placed in these holes to create an explosion! The falling block should then be steered onto soft sand to avoid cracking or splitting at the wrong angle. The raw granite blocks are loaded onto heavy trucks using specialized equipment. They are then transported to slab manufacturing facilities.
Manufacture and preparation for our showroom
Large pieces of granite are cut into manageable 2 to 3-meter slabs in stone manufacturing facilities, usually located in the USA. The slab surfaces are then polished. A fabricator can gradually smooth the surface of the material using pads designed for polishing granite and other pads for polishing stone until it is smooth and shiny. After polishing, the slabs are placed in shipping containers and transported from the manufacturing site to our showroom!
Once they arrive at RocArtz, they are displayed in local showrooms where our customers can browse the vast collection of stones on offer! Once you’ve chosen your stone, we’ll measure, cut and install your new countertops in 10 working days or less!
Time for an upgrade?
RocArtz is an artisan stonecutter and countertop specialist located in Pointe-Claire, Quebec. We offer a wide selection of natural stone surfaces so you can enjoy the interior of your dreams. At RocArtz, we pride ourselves on offering the best quality products at the best prices – and we always finish projects on time! So what are you waiting for? Visit our showroom today!