Granite is mined from quarries, which are basically large pits or, in other words, excavation sites. The direction in which the granite rock will break, aka where it faults, is the easiest way to determine how a quarry will be set up and organized in order to obtain the largest possible mass of granite to be extracted. They do this because most people want a slab of granite in their kitchens as opposed to a mosaic of small granite pieces. Diamond wire and gang saws are used to cut through the rough blocks of granite in order to produce slabs of stone that are uniform in size. Diamond wires and diamond saws are most often used for cutting granite, as diamonds and granite are the closest materials on earth in regard to durability. The final step in the quarrying of granite is cutting it into useable sizes. If the granite is going to be used for countertops and bathroom vanities, it is measured, cut and polished into manageable shapes and dimensions and shipped to warehouses and showrooms.