Pyrite with Hematite

specimen number:
2063195

location:
Rio Marina, Elba, Tuscany, Italy

description:
Classic Italian specimen with a lustrous golden sharply formed crystal of pyrite 3.3 cm across standing up free and nicely from matrix with minor hematite. Several smaller pyrite crystals are present. This is in terrific condition all around. From the 1970s or earlier. The specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of Ray DeMark.

Rio Marina on Elba Island in Tuscany, Italy, is world renowned for its rich iron ore deposits, consisting mainly of hematite and pyrite hosted within complex Paleozoic and Mesozoic rock formations shaped by ancient hydrothermal activity. Mining here dates back to Etruscan and Roman times, making it one of the oldest industrial centers in the Mediterranean, with commercial open-pit extraction continuing into the late twentieth century. Today, the retired mines serve as a popular destination for mineral collectors and tourists exploring the rich mining heritage of the region.

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