Iron Pyrite
Also known as “Fools Gold”, this widely distributed sulfide mineral has fooled many miners into thinking they’ve struck it rich. Pyrite is valuable as a sulfur ore and is used to make sulfuric acid and iron sulfates. In Greek, the name means “fire stone” as it forms sparks when struck. The Greeks also considered pyrite to be the birthstone for Scorpios. Pyrite has many crystalline systems in which it forms including cubic, pentagonal, dodecahedral, and octahedral. The golden colored stone is found worldwide, but major deposits of iron pyrite occur in Peru, USA, Spain, and Mexico.
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