Pyrite: Merelani Hills District, Manyara, Tanzania

Description

Species: Pyrite

Locality: Merelani Hills District, Simanjiro District, Manyara Province, Tanzania

Dimensions: 9.5 x 9.0 cm x 6.5 cm.

This is an excellent and very large, complex, lustrous pyrite “floater” crystal from the famous gem deposits at Merelani Hills, Simanjiro District, Manyara, Tanzania. While much better-known for it’s world-class tanzanite crystals, Merelani has also produced some of the world’s finest and most distinctive pyrite crystals, and this is an excellent large example in fine condition. The crystal shows an unusual combination of pyritohedral and trisoctahedral crystal forms. Mark Cross photo.