Pyrite Latest News
Scientists recently discovered the oldest-known evidence of fire-making by prehistoric humans in England, which included a patch of heated clay, some heat-shattered flint handaxes, and two pieces of iron pyrite - a mineral that creates sparks when struck against flint to ignite tinder.
About Pyrite
- It is a brass-yellow mineral with a bright metallic luster.
- It has a chemical composition of iron sulfide (FeS2), and is the most common sulfide mineral.
- The name comes from the Greek word pyr, “fire,” because pyrite emits sparks when struck by metal.
- Nodules of pyrite have been found in prehistoric burial mounds, which suggests their use as a means of producing fire.
- Pyrite is called “Fool’s Gold” because it resembles gold to the untrained eye.
- However, pyrite is quite easy to distinguish from gold: pyrite is much lighter but harder than gold and cannot be scratched with a fingernail or pocket knife.
- It is found in a wide variety of geological formations worldwide, from sedimentary deposits to hydrothermal veins and as a constituent of metamorphic rocks.
Pyrite Uses
- It is a source of iron and sulfur and is used for the production of sulfuric acid.
- It is used to create iron sulfate that is used to make nutritional supplements, ink, lawn conditioner, water treatment and flocculation, moss killer, and many other chemical processes.
- Iron sulfate, which comes from pyrite, is used to treat iron-deficiency anemia.
- Some types of pyrite contain enough microscopic gold to warrant mining them as a gold ore.
Source: REUT
Pyrite FAQs
Q1: What is the chemical composition of pyrite?
Ans: FeS₂
Q2: Pyrite is best described as which type of mineral?
Ans: Sulfide mineral
Q3: What is the typical colour and appearance of pyrite?
Ans: It is a brass-yellow mineral with a bright metallic luster.
Q4: Why is pyrite commonly known as “Fool’s Gold”?
Ans: It resembles gold to the untrained eye.
