mineral

Pyrite in Quartz

Iron Sulfide (FeS2) in Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale (for quartz, pyrite is 6-6.5); Color: Brass-yellow metallic flecks in a whitish/grayish translucent base; Luster: Metallic for pyrite, vitreous for quartz; Crystal Structure: Isometric for pyrite, trigonal for quartz; Specific Gravity: ~2.65 for quartz, ~5.0 for pyrite

Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale (for quartz, pyrite is 6-6
Luster: Metallic for pyrite, vitreous for quartz

Identified July 30, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed through hydrothermal vein systems where hot mineral-rich fluids deposit quartz and pyrite into surrounding rock fractures.

Uses & applications

Used primarily as mineral specimens for collectors, educational purposes, and occasionally in metaphysical practices.

Geological facts

Pyrite is commonly known as 'Fool's Gold' due to its brassy metallic sheen which has frequently tricked prospectors into thinking they found actual gold.

Field identification & locations

Easily identified by its distinctive metallic brass-yellow cubic or granular flecks embedded within a hard crystalline quartz matrix. Found globally in metalliferous veins and sedimentary deposits.

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