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pyritepyrite-63

Pyrite (Sulfide) 

FeS2

Hardness: 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.)

 
 

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