Pyrite
Image: <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Uoaei1" title="User:Uoaei1">Uoaei1</a> (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Mineral NamePyrite
Chemical FormulaFeS2
Mohs Hardness6.5
Crystal Systemcubic
Lustermetallic
Streak Colorgreenish-black
Cleavageindistinct
Fractureconchoidal
Specific Gravity5
Colorspale brass-yellow, golden
Transparencyopaque
Type LocalityWorldwide, notably Spain (Navajún), Peru, Italy
Mineral GroupSulfides
Usessulfur production, sulfuric acid production, collector specimens, jewelry (minor)
Associated Mineralsquartz, chalcopyrite, galena, sphalerite, gold
Raritycommon
Description
This specimen displays a cluster of intergrown, lustrous, pale brass-yellow cubic crystals of pyrite, some exhibiting striations, on a dark matrix with some yellowish-orange material.
Geological Context
Pyrite forms in a wide range of geological environments, including hydrothermal veins, sedimentary rocks, and metamorphic rocks, often in oxygen-poor conditions where iron and sulfur are present.
