What is Granite? Granite (from the Latin granum, or grain, signifying its characteristic structure), an igneous rock, was formed billions of years ago when magma cooled deep beneath the earth’s crust. Nearly as durable as diamond, granite owes its density and hardness to its origins, solidified deep within the earth under extreme pressure. What are the benefits of a granite countertop? Next to diamonds, there’s nothing harder than granite. It is not affected by extremes in te