Cube-Shaped Pyrite Crystals
Isometric or cube-shaped crystals are one of the simplest and most common shapes found in crystals and minerals.
Pyrite is also known as fool's gold, which some claim came about because, during the Great American Gold Rush, prospectors mistook pieces of pyrite for gold. While this may be true, we can't find much factual evidence to support it.
There are several distinctive differences between gold and pyrite. The most obvious (visually) is pyrite is not as yellow. When the two are placed side by side, it's quite easy to tell one from the other.
Gold is also much softer than pyrite and malleable. Malleable means that it can be hammered or pressed into shape without breaking.
Strike a small piece of gold repeatedly, and it will become flatter and flatter. Do the same to pyrite, and you'll smash it into pieces.
Despite pyrite being much harder than gold, it's also brittle.
These pyrite crystals have a metallic lustre, so each face reflects light beautifully. Unfortunately, this cannot be fully appreciated in our photos, particularly in the crystal on the left.
