Introduction
Virginia has a wide variety of rock types. Igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks can be found within the state.
Igneous Rocks (Part 1)
Igneous rocks in Virginia are found mostly in the Piedmont and Blue Ridge.
Granite
• Granite batholiths can be found in Grayson County, Halifax and Pittsylvania Counties, in the Richmond-Petersburg area, and in the northern Piedmont.
(Left: Photograph by Robert Whisonant; Right: Photograph by William S. Henika)
Granite batholiths are found in several locations in the Piedmont. Left photograph shows an exposure of the Petersburg Granite in the James River at Richmond. Right photograph shows the Leatherwood Granite at Martinsville.
Pegmatite
• Pegmatites can be found in Amelia and Bedford Counties in the Piedmont.
(Amelia County pegmatite photograph by Palmer Sweet of the Virginia Division of Geology and Mineral Resources; inset photo of amazonite by Stan Johnson)
Pegmatites are present in Virginia in Amelia and Bedford Counties. This photograph shows the inside of a pegmatite mine in Amelia County. Inset shows a sample of amazonite, a feldspar mineral that is common in the Amelia County pegmatites. Many other minerals have been found there as well.