Cubist Pyrite Mineral Crystal Multiple Interconnected, Formed In Spain
Cubist Pyrite Mineral Crystal, Multiple Interconnected, Formed In Spain.
Pyrite is sometimes called Fools Gold because of its similarity in colour and shape to Gold. In the old mining days, Pyrite was sometimes mistaken for Gold, as they frequently occur together, although Gold and Pyrite can very easily be distinguished by simple observation and testing of characteristics.
Pyrite occurs in numerous shapes and habits. The smaller crystal aggregates may give off a beautiful glistening effect in light, and the larger crystals may be perfectly formed, including fascinating cubes, penetration twins, and other interesting crystal forms. The perfect cubes of Pyrite embedded in a matrix from the famous Spanish mines are especially treasured among collectors. Many of these specimens have fallen out of the matrix and have been repaired by having them glued back into the matrix.
Pyrite has the same chemical formula as the rarer mineral Marcasite, but it crystallizes in a different crystal system, thereby classifying it as a separate mineral species. Aggregates of iron sulfide (FeS2) where the crystal structure cannot be determined without complex analyzing material may be wrongly labelled by dealers. Some Pyrite specimens are labelled as Marcasite and some Marcasite specimens as Pyrite.
We have been attempting to educate people for some time on the old assumption that pyrite is just fools gold. This adage is almost an old miner’s joke on the rest of the population. Truth be told, there is no gold in pure iron pyrite, however, more than 99 times out of 100, there is significant gold in pyritic deposits. Also, the presence of pyrite, especially in western US deposits, is a huge indicator of gold presence.
Consider how many mines you have been to, large mines, where pyrite is present. Do you think that’s just a coincidence? It's not, Miners have long known that if you find pyrite, you aren’t far from gold. Large mines across the west have considerable amounts of Pyrites in their waste piles. A testament to the minerals removed as they dig out the gold.
The Ophir Hill mine in Ophir, Utah is a prime example of this. Massive tailings piles run out to the highway. The tailings glitter and shine in the sunlight with pyrite cubes. It’s similar across the country. To go one extra step, find pyrites on quartz and you are golden, literally.
Some pyrites can contain 0.25% gold by weight or more. Although this is a tiny fraction of the ore, the value of gold is so high that the pyrite might be a worthwhile mining target. If pyrite contains 0.25% gold and the gold price is $1500 per troy ounce, then one ton of pyrite will contain about 73 troy ounces of gold worth over $109,000. That is not a guaranteed money-maker. It depends upon how efficiently the gold can be recovered and the cost of the recovery process.
Item Code - GEM11D126WARZ1
Width: 1 1/8" Height: 1 1/4" Depth: 1 1/2" Carats: 325 Weight: 65 g
