Description

Chalcopyrite is a copper iron sulfide mineral that crystallizes in the tetragonal system. Chalcopyrite has a brassy to golden yellow color, which often resembles Gold. However, its physical properties such as streak and tenacity are very different from Gold and can easily distinguish it. Chalcopyrite is a beautiful mineral, with good crystals being fairly common. Chalcopyrite is rarely found in association with native copper.

Calcite is a Carbonate mineral that is most widely distributed on the Earth’s surface.  It is a common constituent of sedimentary rocks with Limestone in particular.  A Calcite formation can take on many different shapes and sizes which is dependent on the location, ground water occurrence and temperature.  Calcite is usually white or colorless but can be gray, red, yellow, green, blue, violet, brown or black.  The deeper the color is usually indicative of the definitive impurities from the earth or water.

Pyrite, or Iron Pyrite, is an Iron sulfide with isometric Crystals that usually appear as cubes.  It is brittle and can break or powder easily.  Its metallic luster and brass yellow hue have earned it the nickname of “fool’s gold” due to many miners mistaken it for the real thing.  Ironically, small quantities of actual gold are sometimes found in Pyrite.  It is the most common of the sulfide minerals and is usually found with other sulfides or oxides in Quartz veins, sedimentary or metamorphic rocks.