Natural Cube-Shaped Pyrite Crystal
A large cube-shaped pyrite crystal from Peru.
Isometric or cube-shaped crystals are one of the simplest and most common shapes found in crystals and minerals.
Due to its brassy yellow colour and metallic lustre, pyrite is also known as fool's gold. However, there are several distinctive differences between these two natural minerals. The most obvious (visually) is that pyrite is not as yellow. When placed side by side, it's quite easy to tell one from the other.
Gold is also much softer than pyrite and malleable, meaning it can be hammered or pressed into shape without breaking.
Despite pyrite being much harder, it's also brittle.
Due to its metallic lustre, each crystal face reflects light beautifully.
Please bear in mind that this is a natural, unpolished pyrite crystal.
Prehnite
