Identification guide · Minerals
How to Identify Pyrite
Pyrite is usually brass yellow and pale gold with a metallic luster and is opaque. It has a Mohs hardness of 6.5. It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file. Its streak is greenish-black. It is most often confused with Arsenopyrite, Marcasite, and Gold; the tests below separate them.
Pyrite identification checklist
| Color | Brass Yellow, Pale Gold | Look at a clean, dry surface in daylight. Color zoning, banding or spots are as diagnostic as the hue. |
|---|---|---|
| Luster | Metallic | Turn it under a lamp: a true metallic shine reflects like polished metal and stays opaque at thin edges. |
| Transparency | Opaque | Hold a thin edge up to a bright light and note whether light passes through. |
| Mohs hardness | 6.5 | It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file. |
| Streak | Greenish-black | Drag a corner across unglazed porcelain (the back of a bathroom tile) and check the powder color. |
| Cleavage | Poor | |
| Fracture | Conchoidal | Broken surfaces show smooth, curved, shell-like scoops. |
| Specific gravity | 5 | Very heavy, metallic heft (specific gravity about 5). |
| Crystal system | Cubic |
Extra tests for Pyrite
Magnet test. Not magnetic, which separates it from magnetite.
Pyrite look-alikes and how to tell them apart
Both sit near Mohs 6.5, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Pyrite vs Arsenopyrite →
Both sit near Mohs 6.5, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Pyrite vs Marcasite →
Pyrite is harder (Mohs 6.5) than Gold (Mohs 2.5), so Pyrite will scratch Gold and not the other way round. A copper coin (Mohs 3.5) scratches it, but a fingernail does not. Pyrite vs Gold →
Pyrite is harder (Mohs 6.5) than Calcite (Mohs 3), so Pyrite will scratch Calcite and not the other way round. A copper coin (Mohs 3.5) scratches it, but a fingernail does not.
Field tips
- Check whether the specimen's color and texture match typical Pyrite examples.
- Use hardness, streak, luster, grain size, and locality together; no single trait is enough for every specimen.
Pyrite identification FAQ
How can you tell if a rock is Pyrite?
Check the color (brass yellow and pale gold), the metallic luster, a Mohs hardness of 6.5 and a greenish-black streak. Photographing it with the StoneSnap app gives a match in seconds.
What is the hardness of Pyrite?
Pyrite has a Mohs hardness of 6.5. It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file.
What is the difference between Pyrite and Arsenopyrite?
Pyrite (Mohs 6.5, metallic luster) and Arsenopyrite (Mohs 5.5–6, metallic luster) look alike, but hardness, streak and heft usually separate them. See the full Pyrite vs Arsenopyrite comparison for a side-by-side table.
Is Pyrite worth anything?
Entry-level Pyrite specimens sell for around $2, typical collector pieces about $15, and premium examples $100 or more depending on size, quality and locality.
What color is Pyrite?
Pyrite is most often brass yellow and pale gold. Color varies with impurities and locality, so confirm with hardness and luster rather than color alone.
