Pyrite

Pyrite is generally safe to handle. However, it reacts with water or moisture in the air, releasing irritating sulfuric acid. Avoid getting pyrite wet, wash hands after handling it, and store it in a dry place with low humidity (below 60% is ideal). When cutting or polishing pyrite, wear a dust mask to prevent lung irritation from dust inhalation.

Size is a decisive factor affecting the price of pyrite. The price of higher-quality stones about 2.5 cm across usually ranges from $3-$8/piece. For a crystal cluster, in addition to the size, the shape of the crystal cluster and the integrity of the crystal are also important factors that affect the pricing. The price of medium-sized pyrite clusters is usually between $6-$40/piece, and a few beautifully shaped giant clusters with complete crystals can sell for hundreds of dollars.

Pyrite exhibits good toughness, which can be attributed to its compact crystal structure and absence of perfect cleavage, enabling it to withstand everyday impacts without breaking easily.

Pyrite is considered sensitive due to its vulnerability to water, heat, and chemicals, all of which can lead to structural and visual alterations. Despite its resistance to intense light and dry conditions, these sensitivities suggest caution in everyday wear.

Cattierite (CoS₂) and vaesite (NiS₂) are similar in their structure and belong also to the pyrite group.

Bravoite is a nickel-cobalt bearing variety of pyrite, with > 50% substitution of Ni²⁺

for Fe²⁺

within pyrite. Bravoite is not a formally recognised mineral, and is named after the Peruvian scientist Jose J. Bravo (1874–1928).

Pyrite is the most common of sulfide minerals and is widespread in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. It is a common accessory mineral in igneous rocks, where it also occasionally occurs as larger masses arising from an immiscible sulfide phase in the original magma. It is found in metamorphic rocks as a product of contact metamorphism. It also forms as a high-temperature hydrothermal mineral, though it occasionally forms at lower temperatures. Pyrite occurs both as a primary mineral, present in the original sediments, and as a secondary mineral, deposited during diagenesis. Pyrite and marcasite commonly occur as replacement pseudomorphs after fossils in black shale and other sedimentary rocks formed under reducing environmental conditions. Pyrite is common as an accessory mineral in shale, where it is formed by precipitation from anoxic seawater, and coal beds often contain significant pyrite. Notable deposits are found as lenticular masses in Virginia, U.S., and in smaller quantities in many other locations. Large deposits are mined at Rio Tinto in Spain and elsewhere in the Iberian Peninsula.

Since pyrite creates sparks when struck against metal or stone, it was historically used as a source of ignition in various contexts, including in early firearms. Today, pyrite remains a sporadic industrial source of sulfur; it is used for costume jewelry and is being explored as a material for a new generation of solar panels.

Pyrite has had multiple meanings across various cultures. Native Americans believed this was a magical stone that had the ability to heal. French women believed it offered protection and wore it as a talisman during the Napoleonic wars. Some Roman and Greek soldiers would die unnecessarily because they assumed that this stone would protect them from all harm. The Chinese believed that figurines made of pyrite would attract wealth when placed near a window or would protect a room when placed near a door.

The name pyrite is derived from the Greek πυρίτης λίθος (pyritēs lithos), "stone or mineral which strikes fire", in turn from πῦρ (pyr), "fire". In ancient Roman times, this name was applied to several types of stone that would create sparks when struck against steel; Pliny the Elder described one of them as being brassy, almost certainly a reference to what we now call pyrite.

Pyrite is considered a protection stone that shields its user from the harmful effects of negative energy on the mind, body, and spirit. It may enhance mental capacity and provide emotional healing for the believer. It can be used often during meditation to nourish the body with positive energy that encourages well-being.