Pyrite with Marcasite on Quartz

An attractive large miniature of golden-silver acicular crystals of Marcasite to about 1 mm long scattered over the upper surface of a slab of quartz veinstone together with larger brass-yellow cubic crystals of Pyrite.  Both sulphides sit on a layer of drusy translucent light grey Quartz crystals, all the latter of about 2 mm across.  The lustrous Pyrite crystals are typically 5 mm across, although some are slightly larger.  This lovely specimen is from the 380 Fathom Level in South Crofty mine, situated about mid-way between the Cornish mining towns of Camborne and Redruth.  Mine depths were measured in fathoms, following naval practice, where one fathom is equal to six feet.  This attractive specimen comes with a detailed label.