Used Granite

Basalt and gabbro have the same chemistry. Both are alkaline igneous rocks. They differ in their mode of formation. Basalt is a lava, ejected out of a volcano or ocean-floor fissure. It cools quickly and as a consequence is fine-grained. Gabbro is the same stuff but cooled slowly, deep in the earth's crust. Hence it is coarse-grained, as the different minerals within it have time to grow into sizeable crystals. TNP's work-tops look fine-grained, hence basalt.

I no longer care what they are. They withstand almost anything and are bomb proof and I like em

Never been sealed :-)

Like I said, Granite (or gabbro, or basalt!) I can believe.

Quartz?

"Quartz worktops are made of pieces of natural stone bonded together with a small amount of adhesive."

Andy

Why do they make kitchen worktops of limestone, which would be attacked by vinegar or lemon juice? Maybe it's just as well they don't make "marble effect" tops of petrological marble, as the same would apply. What's the matter with Formica?

My bathroom is quartzite tiles. Whatver that means

A quick google suggets that quartzite is real stone, quartz is real stone in a resin matrix.

Maeble and other stones have good thermal mass. This is occasionally imporatnt. Marble slabs are oten used for pastry rolling

TBH the only two really bombproof worksurface finishes are silicate stone or stainless steel.

Ther is one artificail one that is good - Coram? then for me just get bog standard coated chip.

If its going to get wet and dirty Wood is OK but it doesnt take that sort of treatment.

Corian: mixture of resin and minerals all the way through; fillers to match so joins pretty well invisible, and chips & scratches can be repaired. But the price...

We have something similar but in bright red with silver flecks in it, very nice it is.

Thats the bunny!

I think I paid less for the 'black granite'

The 'minerals' being only one, aluminium hydroxide aka alumina trihydrate aka martifin. Also effective fire retardant, because the Al(OH)3 decomposes at a relatively low temperature (~200C) to release water vapour which has a quenching effect on the fire.