Quartz monzonite, which is present in many mountain belts, is extremely resistant to erosion. In fact, the hardness and durability of the substance has been centrally involved in the formation of many natural wonders, such as the awe-inspiring Curecanti Needle in the Black Canyon of Colorado. This towering spire was created over thousands of years, as the rushing waters of the Gunnison River and its tributaries slowly weathered away the softer surrounding metamorphic rock, leaving only the resilient quartz monzonite monolith in its path.