How was Elberton granite formed?
Elberton granite began 325 million years ago as a large, hot (1300 degrees to 1400 degrees Farenheit) mass of magma or molten rock. This magma originated when some of the earth’s crust melted — probably at a depth of about 11-12 miles. The magma rose upward and came to rest about nine miles beneath Elberton. There it cooled very slowly — taking more than a million years — and solidified into granite. That was more than 300 million years ago. Since then, the granite has been pushed upward, and the land above it has been removed by erosion. The result is a granite deposit that lies just beneath the earth’s surface where it can be easily, safely and economically quarried. How much granite is in the Elberton area?
