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Pyrite—‘fool's gold’ or misunderstood mineral?
Author(s) -
Barrie Craig D.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
geology today
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.188
H-Index - 17
eISSN - 1365-2451
pISSN - 0266-6979
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2451.2010.00741.x
Subject(s) - pyrite , geology , mineral , reputation , earth science , mineral exploration , mining engineering , geochemistry , law , political science , materials science , metallurgy
Pyrite (FeS 2 ) is the most abundant sulphide mineral in the Earth's crust, and with its characteristic shape and appearance, is easily one of the most recognizable. Yet, pyrite has a somewhat tarnished reputation with many considering it to be waste material and of little economic importance, never‐mind interest. This assessment however, is misleading and a considerable volume of current research focuses upon the unique characteristics and formation of pyrite. Indeed, with its potential for revealing the very foundations of life, as well as maximizing the discovery and exploitation of society's future metallic resources, pyrite may be of much greater interest and benefit than many geologists realize.