Auction Win: Pyrite (Stack)

Locality: Huanzala Mine, Huanzala, Huallanca District, Bolognesi Province, Ancash, Peru

Size: Miniature - 4.7 × 3 × 3 cm

An aesthetic stack of two pyrite crystals, slightly overlapping. The luster and striations are great.

Pyrite is the Earth's most abundant sulfide mineral, composed of iron and sulfur with the formula FeS2, and is commonly called fool's gold due to its brass-yellow color resembling gold. Named in antiquity from the Greek "pyr" for fire because sparks flew when struck, it is used to produce sulfuric acid, a key industrial chemical.

The Huanzala Mine, located in Huanzala within the Huallanca District of Bolognesi Province in Ancash, Peru, is world-renowned for producing excellent pyrite and fluorite specimens that are highly prized by collectors. This locality is geologically significant for its exceptional pyrite quality, which is considered world-class for the species, alongside notable galena crystals and other associated minerals like sphalerite and chalcopyrite. Collectors today seek specimens from Huanzala for their outstanding crystal clarity and the mine's reputation as a premier source of high-quality pyrite and fluorite in the Peruvian mining landscape. The mine's remote location about 250 km north of Lima adds to its allure as a distinctive and sought-after source for mineral enthusiasts.