Pyrite (FeS2) is perhaps better known to the general public by its informal name, "fool's gold." Pyrite commonly forms in cubes, and the crystal faces are often deeply striated. It is found in large deposits, and would be a source of iron had there not been other minerals better suited to its extraction. It has had commercial importance as a source of sulfur, used in the manufacture of sulfuric acid. Pyrite may be found worldwide, but the Rio Tinto region of Spain, which has been mined since Roman times, has produced vast quantities of pyrite. Other specimens may come from Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, Canada, Italy, and Virginia, Colorado, and California.


Pyrite gets its name from the Greek word pyr, meaning "fire," because pyrite emits sparks when struck by iron.


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