Pyrite Rough Stones, 500g

Brass-gold pyrite rough, sold in 500g packs. Metallic lustre, often in cubes or chunky crystal clusters. It looks like gold. It is iron sulfide — fool’s gold — not gold.

Good for rock tumbling, mineral collecting, and display. Pieces vary in the pack.

Key features

• Metallic brass-gold colour with a bright, reflective face on fresh breaks
• Rough form, ready for tumbling or display. Brittle, so tumble it on its own or with stones of similar hardness
• Takes a polish, but it will not hold the deep shine of harder gems, and it can tarnish over time
• 500g pack for hobby tumbling and collections
• Traditionally linked with confidence and prosperity. That is folk belief, not a material property

Perfect for

• Rock tumbling and polishing
• Mineral and crystal collections
• Decorative display
• Cabbing and simple jewellery, if you accept that it can scratch and tarnish

Specifications

• Stone type: pyrite (iron sulfide, FeS₂), also called fool’s gold
• Form: rough, unpolished
• Pack size: 500 grams
• Piece size: varies
• Mohs hardness: about 6–6.5

Not gold. Do not leave it wet for long after tumbling — dry it, or it can tarnish and shed a rusty film.