Catalog Search Guide

You can search our catalog using different mineral attributes. For example, you can search by color such as green, yellow or purple, or by chemical elements such as uranium, calcium or iron, or by mineral groups such as phosphate, silicate or carbonate. You can also filter by crystal habit like crystal, geode or crystal on matrix, by specimen size such as thumbnail, small, medium or cabinet, and by features such as radioactive or fluorescent minerals.

Pyrite

Pyrite (iron sulfide, FeS₂) is the most widespread sulfide mineral on Earth and the archetypal "fool's gold," prized for its brassy metallic luster and remarkably geometric crystal habits — cubes, octahedra, pyritohedra, and the striking "Iron Cross" twins. Its name comes from the Greek word for fire, since it sparks when struck against steel.

The world's finest cubic crystals come from the Ampliación a Victoria Mine in Navajún, Spain, where near-perfect cubes form in a soft clay matrix within the Cameros Basin. In Peru, the Huanzala Mine and Quiruvilca district yield sharp cubic, octahedral, and pyritohedral crystals with intense metallic luster, while Rio Marina on the island of Elba, Italy, is a classic historic locality for pyritohedra. Other notable sources include Lemgo, Germany, famous for Iron Cross twins, and Sparta, Illinois, source of the flat radiating "pyrite suns."

Collectors seek pyrite for its combination of geometric perfection, striking metallic shine, and remarkable diversity of crystal forms across localities. Because pyrite can suffer from oxidation known as "pyrite disease," well-preserved historic and museum-grade specimens from classic mines like Navajún and Elba are especially valued. ITALMINERAL offers natural pyrite specimens spanning these celebrated worldwide localities.