Pyrite on Quartz
Huarón mine, Huarón mining district, Huayllay district, Pasco province, Pasco, Peru
15.3cm tall x 13.6cm wide
Ex-collection William Ferris
Pyrite is a common mineral occurring most everywhere on earth. Best known throughout history for its ability to start fires by striking pieces of pyrite together. Its name comes from the Greek – “Pyrite Lithos” – which translates to “stone that makes fire”.
Mineral collectors did not always appreciate pyrite, it was considered too common. This has changed as collecting mineral specimens has evolved and become more focused on quality and aesthetics, and less on species or rarity. Finding the very best of a common species can be challenging as one must be even more discriminating.
Mining in Peru can be traced back several thousand years to the very first inhabitants of the region. Mineral collecting for specimens is far more recent, beginning in the 1970s. There are several mines which have produced outstanding examples of pyrite.
Peruvian pyrite is the benchmark all other localities are measured against. Much like a Swiss watch – it implies the very finest. The factors that set this pyrite apart from all others; it possesses the finest mirror luster, rich gold color, large well-defined crystals all on a brilliant clear quartz crystal matrix. This combination not only highlights the distinct qualities of each mineral but also evokes a sense of balance and harmony within the disorder of free-form construction—embracing the unpredictability inherent in natural formations. In a sea of thousands of Peruvian pyrites there are only a select few - this one being at the top of that short list.