Molybdenite on Pyrite (rare material)

Item Description

Rico is known among Colorado collectors for producing some excellent Pyrite specimens. Sometimes, these Pyrites are associated with silvery-grey Molybdenite, and you might occasionally see them labeled as "Bravoite", but it's completely incorrect as "Bravoite" is actually nickel-bearing variety of Pyrite, and there is no nickel present on these specimens whatsoever. With that said, this small cabinet specimen features an intergrown group of well-formed, sharp, lustrous, soft golden colored metallic cubic crystals of Pyrite measuring up to 2.6 cm with no matrix. You can see the gentle striation lines on the broad faces of the larger crystals, creating a very pleasing effect. If you look very closely with magnification on these striation lines, you will see soft silvery colored patches of a Molybdenite "wash". It's subtle, but it's there. The central group of crystals is in fairly good shape, though the piece is contacted around the periphery where it was removed from the pocket wall. A cool representative specimen of this old material from Rico. The piece comes with a label from Robert Stouffer that states it was collected by Monroe Jacobs circa 1950s-1960s.