

Pyrite (Sulfide)
FeS2Hardness: 6.0 - 6.5
Specific Gravity: 5.1
Characteristics: 'Fool's gold'; yellow; metallic luster; striated cubes, pyritohedrons, or octohedral crystals; may have iridescent yellowish brown film on surface; structure similar to NaCl.
Found in many lithologies, including intrusive igneous rocks, limestones, shales, metamorphic rocks, and hydrothermal deposits; may also replace fossils.
Pyrite is used in the manufacture of sulfuric acid and sulfur dioxide; inexpensive jewelry; pellets of pressed pyrite dust used to recover iron, gold, copper, cobalt, and nickel
(Primary text: Perkins, D. 2002. Mineralogy. Prentice Hall.)