Marcasite - D00655

	Marcasite (FeS₂) D00655

Crystal system	orthorhombic.
Habit	blades, prisms, plates, fibrous rosettes, stellate, spherical and random aggregates; often twinned to make spearheaded or cockscombed crystals.
Cleavage	poor.
Fracture	conchoidal.
Hardness	6 - 6.5
Specific Gravity	4.8
Color	pale yellow and commonly tarnished to blue, violet or green metallic.
Luster	opaque with a bright metallic luster.
Streak	green/black.
Distinguishing features	always pale yellow with a tinge of the previously mentioned tarnishes; also, oxidizes quickly in air causing white spots of melanterite to form; this mineral is dimorphous with pyrite.
Uses	used for the extraction of sulfuric acid..

Color

Catalog