Rainbow Pyrite

Rainbow (iridescent) pyrite comes in the form of “druzy” - a fine layer of miniature crystals coating a matrix. It  offers a shimmering rainbow of colors, including shades of gold, green, pink and blue. This unique stone is found not far from the city of Ulianovsk on Volga river. Pyrite itself is named for the Greek word for fire "Pyr," as it produces sparks when it is struck with steel. Pyrite has an opaque, shiny, metallic luster and it can be iridescent. The typical color of pyrite is bright pale yellow to brass-yellow, gray-yellow often tarnished with a brown film of iron oxide. Pyrite is also known as "Fool's Gold" because it is often mistaken for gold. Pyrite is composed of iron sulfide (FeS2). It has a hardness of 6 - 6.5 on the Moh’s Scale with a Refractive Index of 5.1. Occurrences of Pyrite have been reported worldwide. Some of its major deposits are: USA, Peru, Germany, Russia, Spain, and South Africa, however the rainbow pyrite is found only in Russia. Metaphysical properties of pyrite include its ability to promote psychic development, improve memory, practicality, optimism, and strength of will.