Specimen M 48613 Pyrite

Summary

Pyrite is also known as "fool's gold" because of its brassy colouration and lustre. Pyrite can be told apart from gold quite easily as it is much less dense than gold but is harder. Pyrite is found in many shapes including round, flat discs and small crystals and also as very dramatic perfect cubes.

Pyrite is a very common mineral and is found around the world in a variety of geological settings, including hydrothermal veins, in sedimentary and metamorphic rocks and very often with actual gold. This specimen came from a gold mine in Western Australia.

Pyrite is an iron sulphide. It will oxidise in moist environments, releasing sulphuric acid. It is used today in the commercial production of sulphuric acid.