Pyrite on Hematite (classic material)

Item Description

A classic combo from Elba Island featuring a sharp, metallic, soft brassy colored, Pyrite crystal group sitting on a mound of bladed metallic, dark grey-black Hematite crystals. This Pyrite shows textbook pyritohedral faces, and the measures 2.0 cm across. While neither Pyrite nor Hematite are rare minerals, it's not terribly common to find them together on the same specimen like this, and Rio Marina is quite possibly the most well-known locality in the world for this particular association. It's a very nice example of Elba Pyrite.
From the collection of Richard ("Rich") A. Kosnar (1946-2007), the well-known mineral dealer and collector from Colorado, and the namesake for the rare zirconium phosphate, Kosnarite. Rich named his company Mineral Classics because of his love of old European classics like this piece.