Photo I took at the distributor

We have black granite and it shows every spec of flour, grease, dust, wipe up streaks.

That’s really pretty! I can’t help with information on upkeep though-sorry.

I would not recommend Absolute Black - It is almost impossible to seam beautifully. Try a Negresco honed or Jet Mist Honed. Something with very very slight movement will help hide streaks.

Thanks - we also liked Jet Mist (also called Virginia Mist, I believe), but it was a little more movement than we were looking for. The Anthracite seems like an in-between that and pure black, I just kind find a lot of information online.

Jet Must leathered is awesome! I am not a big fan of it polished but leathered.....wow!

Ack - I was thinking Jet/Virginia Mist had too much movement, but the pictures I'm seeing online are so pretty.

We are thinking of mixing dark counter on the perimeter with a white-ish quartz peninsula - Calacatta Botanica https://www.msistone.com/quartz-countertops/calacatta-botanica-quartz/

I just had it installed a few weeks ago. It had a different name “honed New Pietra Cardosa Granite”. FYI The real Pietra Cardosa is a schist, but this isn’t that material, they just used the name because it looks like it.

So... I hired a specialist to seal my marble island and he says “sorry but that other counter isn’t granite - it is quartzite.” Apparently he has seen it in other homes in the last year and it’s sort of new to the market.

I’m going to have him come back and seal mine after I can get the more temporary sealer I put on to dissipate ( then his sealer will better absorb.)

I’m only a few weeks in and although I love the counter, it shows a lot of smudges so I wipe it often. Water does not dry up instantly, but it isn’t a big issue and his sealer will fix that. If you move a pan/pot around on the surface, the metal will leave a mark. The surface can scratch easily too. All in all, it acts just like my friends leathered absolute black. Definitely Not as easy as a polished granite, but it’s pretty. I do not know what material it is or if I will ever really know.

Jules M

Anthracite is AMAZING! I love it! It is tourmaline gemstone fused with natural quartz.

It is a singular geological formation in Salinas, Minas Gerais, Brazil. It is a mystery. Very abrasive resistance, and super non-porous: if it is the original Anthracite (fused tourmaline).

Awesome, go for it! and pictures definitely don`t make justice

I don’t think the slab you’re considering is actual anthracite - they are just using that in the name because it is a charcoal color similar to anthracite. Your slab (like my counter) looks smooth like granite, but with striations - unlike granite.

I know the slab I was looking at isn't actually anthracite - that's why my title is "anthracite black granite." :-)

We have steel grey granite in a sueded finish on our outside kitchen because it doesn’t show anything. I can’t say for how it seams because we were able to get a 10’6” slab which didn’t require any seams. This is a night time shot w artificial light. And I haven’t wiped it down in awhile. Usually not until company is coming:)

It’s important to not that honed is completely different than sueded or leatherized which has a texture to it. Honed will show oily fingerprints.

I can’t speak to the slab you were looking at, but I have steel grey brushed/leathered granite and I love it, it’s very easy to take care of. (Brushed and leathered are the same thing... honed is different) Mine doesn’t show fingerprints and I’ve not been able to stain it at all. Dust isn’t a problem... it’s color isn’t quite black, it kind of changes through the day and it looks anywhere from dark charcoal to medium grey depending on the lighting. It’s extremely easy to clean, and it stays looking clean easily as well.

Sorry, I meant to say the slab is not tourmaline or anthracite - only similar in color to those materials. It is also not granite. I doubt you will get clarification on the material until it’s been on the market a few years. It does scratch easily, yet its crazy hard.

Here are some photos of my steel grey leathered granite, trying to show the different ways it presents. (Sometimes dark, other times less dark) Some photos are during the kitchen remodel. Also, my seams are really nice and tight, not noticeable at all.

ABC : I have the petrographic analysis of Anthracite natural stone by Felix Mining Group listing its mineral composition. It is a mix of tourmaline and quartz. I can send it to you, just email me at showroom@doldgranite.com

My counter doesn’t look anything like your image - although yours is super gorgeous. The material I have is honed, and yet it is completely smooth with no irregularities. The color is more consistent, too. A marble expert said he has seen it less blue/gray and more green in another home. A mystery...

Jules M - I’m pretty sure I have the same material you looked at. I’ve only had it three weeks or so, but if you think it’s the same, I can give you feedback. I mixed mine with white Danby marble island. I stressed about the marble decision, but I have zero regrets.

Jules - I have these slabs on hold for my kitchen - how have they held up the past few years? I hear many great things about quartzite but also some issues. Thx!