Abstract: To reveal the failure characteristics and energy evolution of brittle rock under uniaxial compression, the mineral composition, content and morphology of granite are observed by polarizing microscope. Then the uniaxial and Brazilian tests of granite are conducted to obtain the stress-strain curves and mechanical parameters. The failure characteristics of the granite under uniaxial compression are analyzed from macro-and microscope, the morphology features of the damage fractures are observed by field emission scanning electron microscope(FESEM). The energy evolution of granite and rock-like material is analyzed based on the energy theory. The results indicate that granite is a typical heterogeneous brittle rock, its stress-strain curve under uniaxial compression has no yield stage. The specimen bursts abruptly when the stress in elastic stage arrives to peak and no residual strength exists. Both shear and tensile fracture show up during the failure process and they have different spatial distribution. Granite stores great amount of energy before ultimate strength, which is the essential cause of rockburst. The energy evolution of granite has no stages of deceleration damage and residual damage, which is the primary cause of rockburst.