Pyrite is widely known as 'Fool's Gold' due to its bright metallic luster and pale brass-yellow color, which mimics native gold. It is easily distinguished by its cubic crystal habit, greater hardness compared to gold, and greenish-black streak. It is a common accessory mineral in a vast variety of geologic settings worldwide.
Is this pyrite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch pyrite with a known reference. Pyrite sits at Mohs 6-6.5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Pyrite leaves a greenish-black to brownish-black streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Pyrite typically shows a metallic luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: brass-yellow, pale-gold.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: cubic. Typical habit: cubes, pyritohedrons, octahedrons, massive, granular.
Often confused with
Pyrite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Pyrite is noticeably harder (Mohs 6-6.5 vs. 3.5-4); streak differs — Pyrite leaves greenish-black to brownish-black, Chalcopyrite leaves greenish-black.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Pyrite leaves greenish-black to brownish-black, Marcasite leaves greyish-black.
How to tell apart: Pyrite is noticeably harder (Mohs 6-6.5 vs. 2.5-3); streak differs — Pyrite leaves greenish-black to brownish-black, Gold leaves golden yellow.
Often found alongside pyrite
Minerals reported to co-occur with pyrite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- FeS₂
- Mohs hardness
- 6-6.5
- Density
- 4.8-5.1 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Greenish-black to Brownish-black
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Cubic
- Crystal habit
- Cubes, Pyritohedrons, Octahedrons, Massive, Granular
- Cleavage
- Indistinct
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Collector, Decorative, Industrial
- Host rock
- Sedimentary, Igneous, And Metamorphic Rocks, As Well as Hydrothermal Veins
- Typical price
- $5-50 thumbnail, $50-300 cabinet
Where rockhounds find pyrite
267 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Peru
- Spain
- USA
- Italy
- China
U.S. states with pyrite
Each link opens a state-specific list of mapped rockhounding spots that produce pyrite.
- Utah53 spots
- Missouri36 spots
- North Carolina13 spots
- Pennsylvania11 spots
- Tennessee10 spots
- Virginia10 spots
- Ohio9 spots
- New York8 spots
Field-hunting tip
Look in sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks, as well as hydrothermal veins country — that is the host setting where pyrite typically forms. If you start seeing quartz, galena, sphalerite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a cubes, pyritohedrons, octahedrons, massive, granular habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Utah, Missouri, North Carolina — start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find pyrite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
