So, which one is pyrite?

[Ragnor]

I just wanted to play with this idea a little. Nothing too serious just hoping for some open discussion.
Not all of these materials can be pyrite. We know each substance has specific attributes inherent to it's nature. These attributes being reflectance, absorbtion, refraction, therefore each material and each color of material must represent different chemical compounds.

Not all of these stones can be pyrite. Sure they are all metallic sulfides but each is obviously a separate composition. I have spent enough time on webmineral and minedat to know there are thousands of various combinations of mineral elements the layman would call pyrite and throw it back into the creek. I used to do that myself.

But really if a person wants to really identify materials and get all the values from a given area I think we need to move beyond calling every glittering sulphide pyrite.



Please feel free to share any useful information you might feel inclined to.

 

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[atomicscott]

Gold glows or shines, but does NOT reflect. That is how I distinguish gold from pyrites. If I shade my pan, the gold still glows, the pyrite doesn't

 

[winners58]

fill in the blank or blanks lots of combinations of iron sulfides or in the case of pyrite, Disulfide
sulfides of *________

 

[nuggetshooter323]

Pyrite can be pretty, but it only has two places to go once I find it, it becomes Leverite or it gets thrown into my rock garden. If you ever have any question on if it's gold or pyrite, crush it and pan it. Let gravity decide.

 

[ClaimStake]

@ragnor.

well you kinda answered your own question.

all anyone can really do is compare samples with pictures and descriptions. there's many different variations of the same minerals that havn't even been named yet.

and then a lot of minerals change from one thing to another from oxidization and/or hydration. pyrite and other sulfides for example.

 

[kcm]

Nice samples! If you can get enough, process them - you'll get a nice return of metals. Type of processing will depend on a lot of things. Just know that lots of pyrite "does have" good gold values. It just costs a bit to process it.

 

[gabatsns]

Which one is pyrite?

The one on the left end is indeed pyrite, but it may be chalco as well containing some values if treated. The second from the left, although it looks like a solid pyrite block, May be a large piece of Micaceous ore but I am thinking not since y ou included it here with the others. The middle one appears to be a specimen convered with lead or silver ore that has oxidised, can't tell whats in the middle. The reddish one is I admit a mystery to me. I do think I see a lot of mica there but I cannot tell without a higher resolution.

Iridescence in the separate pic gives away the chalcopyrite it contains.