Pyrite is not an excellent jewelry stone because it easily tarnishes.) (Marcasite would be a poor choice for jewelry because it quickly oxidizes, and the oxidation products cause damage to anything that they contact. Most of the jewelry stones were called "marcasite," but they are actually pyrite. This type of jewelry was popular in the United States and Europe in the mid- to late-1800s. It is fashioned into beads, cut intoĬabochons, faceted, and carved into shapes. Pyrite is occasionally used as a gemstone. Some sulfur continues to be produced from pyrite as a byproduct of gold production. Today most sulfur is obtained as a byproduct of oil and gas processing.
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Pyrite used to be an important ore for the production of sulfur and sulfuric acid. These ores occur in much larger accumulations, the iron is easier to extract and the metal is not contaminated with sulfur, which reduces its strength. Iron is typically obtained from oxide ores such as hematite and magnetite. Pyrite is composed of iron and sulfur however, the mineral does not serve as an important source of either of theseĮlements. Inexpensive mineral collections are available in the Store. The best way to learn about minerals is to study with a collection of small specimens that you can handle, examine, and observe their properties. Specimen is approximately 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) across. Pyrite: Pyrite with hematite from Rio Marina, Isle of Elba, Italy. Marcasite is more brittle than pyrite and also has a slightly lower specific gravity at 4.8. Instead it is a pale brass color, sometimes with a slight tint of green. Marcasite does not have the same brassy yellow color of pyrite. The only common mineral that has properties similar to pyrite is marcasite, a dimorph of pyrite with the same chemical composition but an orthorhombic crystal structure. It often occurs in well-formed crystals in the shape of cubes, octahedrons, or pyritohedrons, which often have striated faces. It is harder than other yellow metallic minerals, and its streak is black, usually with a tinge of green. The mineral always has a brass-yellow color, a metallic luster and a high specific gravity. Hand specimens of pyrite are usually easy to identify. The two minerals often form together, and in some deposits pyrite contains enough included gold to warrant mining.īrass yellow - often tarnished to dull brassĬolor, hardness, brittle, greenish black streak, specific gravity However, pyrite is often associated with gold. Pyrite has a nickname that has become famous - " Fool's Gold." The mineral's gold color, metallic luster, and high specific gravity often cause it to be mistaken for gold by inexperienced prospectors. Pieces of pyrite have also been used as a spark-producing material in flintlock firearms. Starting a fire if it is struck against metal or another hard material. The name "pyrite" is after the Greek "pyr" meaning "fire." This name was given because pyrite can be used to create the sparks needed for
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Pyrite is so common that many geologists would consider it to be a ubiquitous mineral. It forms at high and low temperatures and occurs, usually in small quantities, in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks worldwide. It has a chemical composition of iron sulfide (FeS 2) and is the most common sulfide mineral. Pyrite is a brass-yellow mineral with a bright metallic luster. Image by Carles Millan and used under a Creative Commons license. Specimen is approximately 4 inches (9.5 centimeters) across. Pyrite Crystals: Cubic crystals of pyrite on a marlstone from Navajún, Rioja, Spain.