China has the largest reserves of granite in the world in its three eastern provinces of Shandong, Guangdong and Fujian. There is little difference between Chinese and granite mined anywhere else in the world. However, there are some minor differences as well as one major difference that lead to problems using Chinese rather than European or American.

The first, as well as the popular confusion of the granite stone is the radiation. Radioactive isotopes of potassium and radium exist in most Chinese granite in higher levels than elsewhere. Chinese chemist L. Xinwei and his colleagues claimed in 2005 that six types of the most sought-after granite mined in China contained more than the normal radiation limit for home use.

Export is one of the problems in China. Chinese export regulations forbid the selling of low-radiation granite abroad. In other words, the higher, more dangerous granites -- those that China will not permit to be used for Chinese homes -- are shipped to the homes of others. China is selling this radioactive granite at low prices worldwide, according to the Solid Surface Alliance. The Chinese trade association for its granite exports, the Stone Union, has denied it is doing so.

At last is the problem of Uranium. In 2011, Professor W.J. Ilope of Rice University in Texas claimed that in addition to radon gas, Chinese granite also contained very high and dangerous levels of uranium. Examining over 50 granites from China sold as building materials, Ilope found that a few contained as much as 100 milligrams of radiation. This is sufficient to cause major health problems, according to Ilope.