Not all rocks are made equal. Each type of rock has different properties which makes them more suited for a specific task.

Granite, is strong, non porous, resistant to chemical damage and doesn't change with temperature. These properties make granite a perfect rock for kitchen bench tops.

Geologist use a range of techniques to identify different types of rocks. They can identify rocks based on their appearance:

• Hardness
• Lustre
• Transparency
• Shape of the crystal
• Density
• Streak

Minerals

Rocks are made of one or more minerals.

A mineral is a naturally occurring solid substance with its own chemical composition, structure and properties.

There are over 4,000 minerals in the world.

Click here for more information on Minerals.

Rocks are broadly classified according to how they are formed.

We can break them up into 3 types. Igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic.