Shop

An amazing combo of three great minerals Pyrrhotite  Sphalerite Quartz! This location is known for its incredible metal/mineral specimens and this is no exception.  An affordable, collection-worthy piece.  This specimen displays many classic barrel shaped crystals of Pyrrhotite and is from old stock.  Pyrrhotite crystals are rare and hard to come by.

Location:
Dalnegorsk, Russian Federation.

Dimensions:
4.9cm x 7.3cm x 6.2cm, 215g.

Pyrrhotite: Fe₇S_8, Also given as Fe_1-x (x = 0 to 0.17).

Named in 1847 by Ours Pierre Armand Petit Dufrenoy from Greek “pyrrhos”, flame-coloured.  Pyrrhotite has some unusual characteristics.  First, it has an unusual formula.  The amount of sulfur does vary by roughly 20% or 50 to 55 atoms of sulfur per 50 atoms of iron.  Or is it the iron that varies?  Really the same difference.  Thus the unusual formula of Fe1-xS.  Secondly, it has two symmetries.