Pyrite

Description

Pyrite (iron disulphide, FeS₂) is one of the most widely recognised minerals in the world — “Fool’s Gold” — yet fine crystallised specimens are anything but common. The cubic crystals from Hohenems, Vorarlberg, Austria, are prized for their sharp geometric faces, bright metallic lustre and the characteristic pyritohedral or cubo-octahedral habit that makes them immediately recognisable as classic pyrite.

Pyrite forms across a wide range of geological settings — from hydrothermal veins to sedimentary iron formations — and the Alpine and sub-Alpine deposits of Austria have yielded collector-quality pyrite crystals since the 18th century. Well-crystallised specimens with undamaged faces and natural matrix are increasingly rare and appreciated by both European and international collectors.