Pyrite on Manganoan Calcite

Item Description

This find was made a couple of years back in China, and is absolutely unique: glittery, golden pyrite microcrystals preferentially deposited on the edges of flattened, translucent, pastel-pink, manganoan calcite rhombs. The calcite rhombs reach 4.5 cm on this showy and excellent piece. Some of the specimens had very sparse coverage of pyrite, just a salting, but here, it is richly carpeting the crystal edges. The trivial edgewear is concentrated on the periphery and is certainly not a detraction.