Ornamental and Building Stones, Fort Chipewyan, Alberta

Ornamental and building stones from crystalline (granitoid) rocks should ideally possess the following qualities: a) uniform, aesthetically pleasing color; b) homogeneous and equant texture (no bands, layers or streaks of contrasting texture or mineralogy); c) be structurally massive (without joints) in outcrop or have only widely spaced joint sets; d) have little or no surface weathering effects; e) produce a suitably finished surface (polished, milled, flaked, etc.) to meet the specific and various architectural or engineering-constructional requirements.

Although a few granitoid ornamental and building stones make use of natural banding or layering to form a distinctive pattern as part of the genera; aesthetic appeal, the majority of ornamental stones noted to date make use of the most homogeneous (texturally, structurally and mineralogically) rocks available.