PYRITE ON HEMATITE

ABOUT THE SPECIMEN

Textbook pyritohedral crystal of pyrite - 6 cm across - with shining luster set on crystallized, lustrous hematite. Elba produced some of the finest pyrite not only in Europe, but from any region of the world, and this is from a particularly notable find made in the 1970s. Although they're pretty easy to find, this stands out from the rest for its size, sharpness of form, and balance, as well as the fact that it's complete all around and in excellent condition. It was held in Gene Meieran's extensive pyrite suite for decades, a testament to how exemplary it is for the material. Absolutely top-notch piece for both locality and size class!

VIDEO

MORE INFO

Pyrite from Rio Marina is tied to the classic iron deposits of eastern Elba, where skarn-like mineralization and hydrothermal activity overprinted earlier sedimentary sequences during Alpine tectonism. In this setting, pyrite formed alongside iron oxides and sulfides within magnetite- and hematite-rich bodies, often associated with contact-metasomatic processes linked to intrusive activity. Rio Marina material is especially noted for its sharply defined pyritohedral crystals, frequently striated and ranging from brassy metallic to subtly iridescent surfaces due to surface oxidation. Unlike many localities where pyrite appears as a secondary or accessory phase, here it is an integral part of the iron ore system, sometimes occurring embedded in ochreous limonitic matrix that reflects later weathering of the deposit.