| Pyrite (Iron Pyrite) "Fools Gold" |
| SpiritRock Shop |
Click on any photo to see a larger version
 |
| Striated Pyritohedral Pyrite specimen from Peru I suppose it's true that you just can't keep every excellent specimen you find...This one is from our private collection...an amazing 10+ pound plate of beautifully formed striated pyrite crystals on a plate of pyrite. The front of this specimen is covered with hundreds of pyritohedral and striated crystals. The base is fine granular pyrite with the back showing many vugs filled with smaller pyrite crystals. WOW! This specimen weighs 10.42 lb (4720g) and measures @ 8.5 x 6 x 2.5 inches (195 x 155 x 70mm). |
| Pyritohedral Pyrite with Drusy Quartz with Pyrite inclusions from Brazil Very nice specimen of Pyritohedral pyrite covered partially with a drusy quartz layer that has fine pyrite inclusions giving a "pyrite sprinkled" look to the quartz. This piece weighs 0.28 lb (128g) and measures 2.4 x 1.4 x 1.1 inches (61 x 36 x 29mm). |
| Item # PYR05109133 10 lb Pyritohedral and Striated Pyrite display specimen from Peru $149.00 |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| Pyrite Pyrite is the classic "Fool's Gold". There are other shiny brassy yellow minerals, but pyrite is by far the most common and the most often mistaken for gold. Whether it is the golden look or something else, pyrite is a favorite among rock collectors. It can have a beautiful luster and interesting crystals. It is so common in the earth's crust that it is found in almost every possible environment, hence it has a vast number of forms and varieties. Unlike gold, which is prized because of its color, brightness, workability, and rareness, Pyrite is not a metal, but rather, a sulfide made up of iron and sulfur. Pyrite is much harder and more brittle, and it tarnishes to a dark brown. Fool's Gold is very common, and this has led to many people thinking they had discovered real gold over the years. Pyrite forms when hydrogen sulfide combines with iron. These common elements often fuse and are carried by heated fluids to cracks in native rocks where pyrite is deposited. It is attractive, and many museums keep specimens of Pyrite for display or educational purposes. Bravoite is the name given to a nickel-rich iron sulfide. It is closely related to pyrite but contains up to 20% nickel. Some mineral books treat it as a variety of pyrite. Pyrite is a polymorph of Marcasite, which means that it has the same chemistry, FeS2, as Marcasite; but a different structure and therefore different symmetry and crystal shapes. Pyrite is difficult to distinguish from Marcasite when a lack of clear indicators exists. Common Shapes of Pyrite |
| Pyritohedral |
| Pyrite Sun |
| Sunflower |
| Cubic |
| Striated |
| Pyrite Sun from Sparta, Illinois. Pure Pyrite crystallization with no matrix featuring radiating golden crystals that sparkle in the light. These are also known as Pyrite Dollars and Sun Dollars. Collected in a coal mine hundreds of feet below the earth's surface, this sun formed over 300 million years ago! Fanned crystal structure is due to compressed growth between sheets of slate. |
| Item # P1107002 Pyritohedral Pyrite with Drusy Quartz with Pyrite inclusions from Brazil $65.00 |
| Item #PA1107005 Pyrite-replaced Ammonite with opalescent shell from Russia $39.00 |
Pyrite-replaced Ammonite with opalescent shell from Russia
The fossilization process has naturally replaced the original shell with stunning golden pyrite - a feature that is so
HIGHLY-prized.Ammonites are extinct members of the Cephalopod class. Modern members include nautilus, squid
and octopus. They first appeared during the Silurian Period (435 million to 410 million years ago) and were abundant
and widespread in the seas of the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods (175 million to 65 million years ago). Ammonites
are important index fossils—that is, they often link the rock layer in which they are found to specific geological time
periods.This specimen weighs 16g and measures 40 x 29 x 10mm (1.6 x 1.1 x 0.4in)
The fossilization process has naturally replaced the original shell with stunning golden pyrite - a feature that is so
HIGHLY-prized.Ammonites are extinct members of the Cephalopod class. Modern members include nautilus, squid
and octopus. They first appeared during the Silurian Period (435 million to 410 million years ago) and were abundant
and widespread in the seas of the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods (175 million to 65 million years ago). Ammonites
are important index fossils—that is, they often link the rock layer in which they are found to specific geological time
periods.This specimen weighs 16g and measures 40 x 29 x 10mm (1.6 x 1.1 x 0.4in)
| Item # PYR0409175 Pyrite Sunflower from China $24.00 |
| Pyrite Sunflower from China Very nice specimen of Pyrite Sunflower formation from an undisclosed location in China. This specimen has a "pyrite sprinkled" look to it. This piece weighs 0.6 lb (274g) and measures 3.1 x 2.2 x 0.9 inches (78 x 56 x 23mm). |
| Pyrite on Galena from Colorado Very different specimen of Pyrite on a base of Galena. There are cubes, striations and pyritohedral formations on this interesting stepped (like fluorite) Galena base. This piece weighs 1.1 lb (498g) and measures 3.2 x 2.9 x 1.9 inches (82 x 74 x 48mm). |
| Very Rare Pyrite ball of crystals in Limestone matrix! Very rare ball of pyrite crystals perched aesthetically in a large plate of limestone. This is rare because almost every pyrite found in the limestone hills east of Dallas doesn't have any matrix, or what bit of matrix they do have associated crumbles and falls off as soon as you touch it. Finding a large specimen like this with completely stable matrix enclosing such a pretty pyrite ball is an unusual treasure indeed. The pyrite is unusually gold and sparkly for this locale, (near Midlothian) and the limestone has nice contrasting color bands running through it. If you collect pyrite, don't miss your chance to add this rare beauty to your collection. Specimen weighs 0.54 lbs (246g) and measures 5.3 x 4 x 0.85 inches (13.4 x 10.1 x 2.1 cm). |
| Item # P08104650 Pyrite Ball of Crystals in Limestone Matrix $39.00 |
| Item # P05095599 Pyrite Sun on Large Shale Matrix from Randolph County, Illinois. $64.95 |
| This is a pyrite sun on a large shale matrix; it formed about 310-350 million years ago in the Mississippian formation in a small area known as Randolph County, Illinois. Pyrite suns form between tightly spaced layers of shale, in coal mines. The pyrite was forced to grow in a laterally compressed, radiating manner, instead of a more normal cube or Pyritohedral shape that pyrite is more commonly known for. This unique pyrite specimen has been cleaned on both sides and the shale slate matrix has been stabilized. This specimen can be displayed with the Pyrite in place on the matrix or next to it. This total specimen (pyrite sun on matrix) measures approximately; 12" wide and 6” high and 1” thick and weighs 3.01 lbs (1369g) The pyrite sun measures approximately; 3.6 x 3.4 x .0.3 inches (91 x 86 x 7mm) and weighs 4.78oz (136g) |
| Item # PYR0409180 Pyrite on Galena from Colorado $35.00 |
| Feedback from purchaser... "This is beautiful! Much prettier than the pictures show..." A.J. |
| Feedback from Purchaser... Just a short note to let you know I received my purchase today. Nicely packaged and very quick service. I am pleased with the pyrite on matrix specimen. Thank you S.L. |
Morococha Mine is an underground, polymetallic
vein mine located in the Yauli Province, Junin
district, approximately 60 miles southwest of Lima,
Peru. The Morococha district is at about 14,436 feet
elevation (4400 meters) and is located roughly 10.5
miles (17 km) east-northeast of Casapalca, Peru and
about 15.5 miles (25 km) west-southwest of La Oroya,
Peru.
The Morococha district is a spectacular region of
high glacier-clad peaks and lakes close to the crest of
the western Andean Mountain Range. It lies in a nearly
east-west trending valley with its outlet to the east. Three
lakes occupy the valley, at elevations ranging from
14,200 to 15,100 feet (4,350 to 4,600 meters).
The Quechua name Morococha means "painted
lake," because of the brilliant coloring of the altered
rocks surrounding the area.
Once abundant, pyrite specimens from Morococha
are now rarely seen. Crystals are usually pyritohedrons in
sizes up to several centimeters, Good typical
specimens from here are about 6 x 7 cm, and are
composed of bright pyritohedrons about l cm across.
vein mine located in the Yauli Province, Junin
district, approximately 60 miles southwest of Lima,
Peru. The Morococha district is at about 14,436 feet
elevation (4400 meters) and is located roughly 10.5
miles (17 km) east-northeast of Casapalca, Peru and
about 15.5 miles (25 km) west-southwest of La Oroya,
Peru.
The Morococha district is a spectacular region of
high glacier-clad peaks and lakes close to the crest of
the western Andean Mountain Range. It lies in a nearly
east-west trending valley with its outlet to the east. Three
lakes occupy the valley, at elevations ranging from
14,200 to 15,100 feet (4,350 to 4,600 meters).
The Quechua name Morococha means "painted
lake," because of the brilliant coloring of the altered
rocks surrounding the area.
Once abundant, pyrite specimens from Morococha
are now rarely seen. Crystals are usually pyritohedrons in
sizes up to several centimeters, Good typical
specimens from here are about 6 x 7 cm, and are
composed of bright pyritohedrons about l cm across.
| Classic Morococha, Peru Pyrite specimen! 1.35 lb (614g) 3.6 x 2.7 x 2.3 inches (9.2 x 6.8 x 5.7cm) This wonderful and exceptionally rare specimen comes from the old "Mineral Museum" in Follansbee, West Virginia that was operated by the respected rockhound Jim Smedley who made his collections during the 1950's into the early 1960's. Jim wrote some excellent articles in the Rocks and Minerals magazine during those years detailing his family cross country and foreign country rock collecting trips filling the trunk of his old Studebaker with as many specimens as the car would allow. We were lucky enough to obtain some specimens from the old "Mineral Museum" collection and are keeping most of them for our personal collection but we feel it is only fair to share some of these treasures with our loyal customers as well! |
| VERY RARE! Old Stock Morococha Peru Pyrite from the old "Mineral Museum" |
| Item # PYR0409180 Pyrite on Galena from Colorado $35.00 |
| Item # PYR08107421 Very Rare Morococha, Peru Pyrite from the "Mineral Museum" $52.00 |
| (Museum ID tag is included) |