What Does Pyrite Look Like?

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If you have ever had the chance to hold some pyrite in your hand. You might recognize how different it looks from some metals such as gold.  The mineral pyrite has a metallic luster, much like other common minerals and metals.  It also has some unique identifiers you may not know about. 

Pyrite, also known as fool’s gold, is a mineral composed of iron and sulfur.  There are many rock and mineral collectors who likely have some of this mineral in their collection.  If you would like to add some to your collection, or just learn how to identify it, I might have a few different ways on identifying pyrite you may be interested in.  

Key Visual Characteristics to Look for in Pyrite

Pyrite has some very unique ways to identify it. Some are quite obvious, and others may take a little more effort to help you identify it.  If you are interested in some different ways to identify pyrite, you’ve come to the right place.  You can visually identify pyrite by the following looks it will have:

  • It has a brassy color: Pyrite has a brass-like golden yellow color that is quite unique and easy to visually identify.
  • Its Hardness: Pyrite has a hardness of 6-6.5 on the Mohs scale, making it a relatively hard mineral. This means it is not as easy to scratch as some other minerals.
  • By its metallic luster: Pyrite has a metallic luster that looks like polished metal.
  • Cubic crystal shape: Pyrite often forms in cubic crystal shapes, which is a visually distinguishing characteristic.
  • Its streak: The streak of pyrite is greenish-black.
  • It has low density: Pyrite is lighter than most metallic minerals, but will feel heavier than some rocks.
  • Sulfur odor: Pyrite gives off a sulfur odor when struck or otherwise damaged.
  • It can tarnish: Pyrite can develop a tarnish that ranges from blue to green to black over time. It can lose its shine as well.
  • It has conductivity: Pyrite is a conductor of electricity, and you can use it with some electrical current to test it.

Pyrite has some very unique characteristics that set it apart from other metallic metals or minerals. Once you have held, owned, or seen some examples of pyrite, you will know how to identify it with more ease.

Different Looking Pyrite Varieties

Pyrite will come in a few different varieties.  Those varieties are mainly based upon the different forms and shapes it can take on.  Some varieties of pyrite tend to be more desirable than others, however there are few varieties in my thoughts that are not worthy of collection.  Some different looking pyrite varieties will include:

  • Marcasite: A variety of pyrite that has a more silvery appearance and forms in thin, flat plates or masses.
  • Cubic pyrite: This form of pyrite is in cubic crystal shapes and is the most common type of pyrite.  These cubes of metal have nice reflective surfaces.
  • Pyrite nodules: These are round or oblong nodules that are found in sedimentary rocks.
  • Pyritohedron pyrite: Forms in dodecahedral shapes and is a less common type of pyrite.  It has 12 non-uniform reflective faces.
  • Irregular or massive pyrite: Forms as a compact mass without any distinct crystal shapes and is often found in metamorphic rocks.
  • Pyrite rosettes: Rosette-shaped aggregates of pyrite that are found in some sedimentary rocks.  They kind of look like a water balloon splatter of pyrite material.
  • Pseudo-isometric pyrite: Forms as elongated, irregularly shaped crystals and is found in some metamorphic rocks.

Pyrite has a nice handful of natural varieties that one can collect.  Most of these varieties are very easy to distinguish if you see them.  Pyrite is also cut or carved out into different shapes or forms such as spheres, hearts, skulls, and obelisks just to name a few.  

The Different Look Between Pyrite and Gold

Two very difficult minerals to identify against each other for many are pyrite and gold.  This really is due to people not having any experience with the two.  Pyrite and gold are often confused with each other due to their similar appearance, but there are several key differences between the two minerals.  Some key looking differences between pyrite and gold:

  • Their color: Pyrite often has a brass-like golden yellow color, while gold has a more deep yellow-orange color.
  • Hardness on the Mohs scale: Gold is softer than pyrite, with a hardness of 2.5-3 on the Mohs scale, while pyrite has a hardness of 6-6.5. Gold can scratch and bend with some firm force.
  • Specific gravity: Gold is denser than pyrite and has a specific gravity of 19.3, while pyrite has a specific gravity of 5.0. This means that gold will feel heavier in your hand given both the gold and pyrite are roughly the same in size.
  • Their luster: Pyrite has a metallic luster, while gold has a more golden, reflective luster.
  • Their streak: Pyrite has a greenish-black streak, while gold has a golden yellow streak.
  • Occurrence in nature: Gold is often found in veins or alluvial deposits, while pyrite can be found in a variety of geological environments, including sedimentary and metamorphic rocks.
  • Greatly differing value: Gold is a valuable precious metal and is often used for jewelry and other decorative purposes. Pyrite is used primarily as a source of iron and sulfur for industrial applications.
Gold vs Pyrite. Here is a good contrast between a very tiny specimen of gold(left), and a larger crystals specimen of pyrite(right).

The Different Look Between Pyrite and Chalcopyrite

Another quite often confusing mineral that gets identified as pyrite is chalcopyrite.  I have not held a lot of chalcopyrite in my time, but I have seen plenty of specimens at rock and mineral shows. There are some great images on the internet that show chalcopyrite, and it is quite easy to get these two confused.  Some visual looking differences between pyrite and chalcopyrite are:

  • Their color: Pyrite has a brass-like golden yellow color, while chalcopyrite has a more golden-yellow color.
  • Their luster: Both pyrite and chalcopyrite have a metallic luster, but chalcopyrite is often more iridescent and has a brighter appearance.
  • Streak: When doing a streak test, pyrite has a greenish-black streak, while chalcopyrite has a greenish-black to greenish-blue streak. A little difficult to tell apart on this one.
  • Occurrence in nature: Pyrite can be found in a variety of geological environments, including sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. Chalcopyrite is primarily a sulfide mineral and is often found in hydrothermal deposits and other sulfide-rich environments.
  • Crystal appearance: Chalcopyrite often appears as if attached to a rock, pyrite will often form as crystals and will visually show as crystals.
  • Transforming ability: Chalcopyrite being a brassy yellow color, if treated with chemicals, becomes bornite with iridescent colors such as purples, blues, and greens. Pyrite does not do this.
  • Their Mohs scale hardness: Pyrite is a little bit harder on the Mohs scale coming in at a 6-6.5, while chalcopyrite is at a 3.5-4. This makes chalcopyrite more susceptible to scratching and breaking, and not often carved or cut into displayable specimens.

By closely observing these differences, some being visual and some requiring some action such as a streak test, it is possible to tell pyrite and chalcopyrite apart. If you are ever having difficulties in identifying pyrite and chalcopyrite, it is always helpful to consult with geologists, mineralogists, or those who have some experience in rocks and minerals. susceptible

The Different Look Between Pyrite and Mica

Back when I was much younger I remember seeing these small shiny objects in the river.  Not knowing what they were, I quickly labeled them as pyrite.  Pyrite and mica can be quite easy to confuse for many.  Some identifying looking differences between pyrite and chalcopyrite are:

  • Their color: Pyrite has a brass-like golden yellow color, while mica can be colorless, silver, gold, green, or black, depending on the species.
  • Luster: Pyrite has a metallic luster, while mica has a pearly or silky luster.
  • Transparency: Mica is transparent to translucent, you can see through it, while pyrite is opaque, you can’t see through it.
  • Visual crystal habit: Pyrite commonly forms as cubic or pyritohedral crystals, while mica forms as thin, flat, layered sheets.
  • Their cleavage: Mica has perfect cleavage in one direction, allowing it to easily split or break into thin sheets. Pyrite does not have cleavage.
  • Their Mohs scale hardness: Pyrite has a hardness of 6-6.5 on the Mohs scale, while mica has a hardness of 2-3. Mica will “break and flake” quite easily, while pyrite will not.
Pyrite vs Mica. Here is a good contrast between a large specimen of mica(left), and some various specimens of pyrite(right), which the image does not show its brassy yellow very well. Even so, you can see the major difference in the look and texture of the two.

Conclusion

You would think that since pyrite looks similar to other minerals that they might have similar identifying features.  From what we have gone over, we have found that pyrite is quite different.  It seems one of the main confusions is that it just looks similar to other minerals, such as gold, by someone who has an untrained/experienced eye.

With this article I hope I have given some great identifying features you can use to help you identify pyrite.  If you are a rock and mineral collector, pyrite is quite cheap and I highly suggest picking some up for your collection.  Do you have some additional interest in the mineral pyrite? I have written an article that has some great additional information about it that you might find interesting: “All About Pyrite”

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