Absolute Black Granite is a premium, very dark black, fine to close-grained black basalt (dolerite) with equi-granular crystalline texture. This stone internationally may be nominated as a granite but in the area of application of the European Standard this stone must be nominated as a dolerite. Absolute Blacks include only granite varieties which are totally monochromatic. They are quarried mainly in India, South Africa, China, Zimbabwe and many other countries. In 1962 Belfast Black granite from South Africa was first exported and shortly afterwards the trade in Italy started calling this granite Nero Assoluto, the literal translation being Black Absolute.Great care must be taken when purchasing Chinese black granites since these black granites have become very popular in the last few years owing to their much lower prices, however some of these black granites can be prone to "shakes" and "vents" and many unscrupulous processors/dealers, oil or apply dye to the material to hide these defects.The most dense quality Chinese black granite is known as Shanxi Black A Grade and expect to pay as much for this as any top quality Indian black or even more. India first started exporting high quality, hand-worked black granite memorials at the end of the 1960's and by the end of the 70's volume machine production of memorials and slabs were well under way. In general terms the absolute black granites from the Warrangal area are both dense black in colour and much harder taking a superb polish and wearing well. Others include Dharmapuri and Mettur Districts of Tamil Nadu, Chittoor and Khammam in Andhra Pradesh and Kanakpura near Bangalore, where a variety of medium and light medium black granites are found. Absolute Black granite are ideal for both interior and exterior use, Absolute Black granite is frost free and polish constant