Pyrite has been recorded at 36 places in 13 states on the USA Rockhounding map. Kentucky, Missouri and Pennsylvania have the most. 0 are marked Ready, 1 Conditional and 30 research only, so check each place’s status before you go.
Pyrite sites by state
| State | Sites | Ready | State guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | 4 | 0 | Kentucky rockhounding map |
| Missouri | 4 | 0 | Missouri rockhounding map |
| Pennsylvania | 4 | 0 | Pennsylvania rockhounding map |
| Tennessee | 4 | 0 | Tennessee rockhounding map |
| Indiana | 3 | 0 | Indiana rockhounding map |
| Rhode Island | 3 | 0 | Rhode Island rockhounding map |
| Virginia | 3 | 0 | Virginia rockhounding map |
| West Virginia | 3 | 0 | West Virginia rockhounding map |
| Illinois | 2 | 0 | Illinois rockhounding map |
| New Jersey | 2 | 0 | New Jersey rockhounding map |
| Ohio | 2 | 0 | Ohio rockhounding map |
| Maryland | 1 | 0 | Maryland rockhounding map |
| South Carolina | 1 | 0 | South Carolina rockhounding map |
Places to find pyrite
Sorted with Ready sites first.
- Moosup River Mineral Gravels — Rights/Disturbance Gate, Kent County, Rhode Island: Conditional
- Virginia Gold Occurrence ≠ Prospecting Permission, Statewide County, Virginia: Rules apply
- Illinois Abandoned Coal Mine Research, Multiple County, Illinois: Research only
- Illinois Coal-Mine Fossil Context, Multiple County, Illinois: Research only
- New Albany Shale Research, Clark / Floyd / Harrison / Scott / Washington County, Indiana: Research only
- Indiana Coalfield Geology Research, Clay / Daviess / Dubois / Gibson / Greene / Knox / Martin / Owen / Parke / Perry / Pike / Posey / Spencer / Sullivan / Vanderburgh / Vermillion / Vigo / Warrick County, Indiana: Research only
- Kentucky Active Coal-Mine Geology Research, Eastern / western coalfields County, Kentucky: Research only
- Kentucky Pyrite Research, Eastern / western coalfields County, Kentucky: Research only
- Eastern Kentucky Coalfield Geology, Eastern Kentucky County, Kentucky: Research only
- Maryland Pyrite Occurrence Research, Statewide County, Maryland: Research only
- Viburnum Trend Lead-Zinc District, Crawford / Dent / Iron / Reynolds / Washington County, Missouri: Research only
- Central Missouri Barite-Lead District, Morgan / Miller / Camden / Moniteau / Cooper / Cole County, Missouri: Research only
- Missouri Coal Mine History, Multiple County, Missouri: Research only
- Missouri Pyrite Occurrence Research, Statewide County, Missouri: Research only
- Old Bridge Clay Pit Research, Middlesex County, New Jersey: Research only
- Sayreville Clay Pit Research, Middlesex County, New Jersey: Research only
- Ohio Coalfield Mineral & Fossil Research, Eastern Ohio County, Ohio: Research only
- Pittsburgh Coal and Fossil Research, Allegheny / Greene / Washington / Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania: Research only
- Phoenixville / French Creek Mineral District Research, Chester County, Pennsylvania: Research only
- Pennsylvania Pyrite and Marcasite Research, Statewide County, Pennsylvania: Research only
- Pennsylvania Bituminous Coal Region Geology, Western Pennsylvania County, Pennsylvania: Research only
- Moosup River Geology Research, Kent County, Rhode Island: Research only
- Copper Mine Hill / Sneech Pond Research, Providence County, Rhode Island: Research only
- South Carolina Pyrite Research, Piedmont County, South Carolina: Research only
- Tennessee Pyrite Research, Copper Basin / coalfields / sedimentary units County, Tennessee: Research only
- Tennessee Coalfield Geology Research, Cumberland Plateau / northern East Tennessee County, Tennessee: Research only
- Ducktown Copper Basin Research, Polk County, Tennessee: Research only
- Virginia Gold-Pyrite Belt, Piedmont County, Virginia: Research only
- Virginia Lead–Zinc–Copper Research, Statewide County, Virginia: Research only
- Pyrite in West Virginia Coal Research, Coalfields County, West Virginia: Research only
- West Virginia Abandoned Coal-Mine Research, Coalfields County, West Virginia: Research only
- Northern West Virginia Coal Geology, Monongalia / Marion / Harrison County, West Virginia: Research only
- Indiana Abandoned Mine Safety No-Promotion Control, Southwestern Indiana County, Indiana: Protected / viewing only
- Kentucky Abandoned Mine/Highwall Safety Control, Coalfields County, Kentucky: Protected / viewing only
- Ohio Abandoned Mine Safety No-Promotion Control, Eastern Ohio County, Ohio: Protected / viewing only
- Tennessee Abandoned Mine Safety Control, Coalfield / historic districts County, Tennessee: Protected / viewing only
What pyrite is
Pyrite is iron sulphide, nicknamed “fool’s gold” for its brassy yellow colour. It forms sharp cubes, pyritohedrons and “suns” (flat discs), and it occurs in shale, coal seams, limestone and hydrothermal veins. Some fossils, such as ammonites, are preserved in pyrite.
How to tell pyrite from gold
- Hardness: pyrite is hard and brittle and cannot be scratched by a knife easily; gold is soft and dents or bends.
- Streak: pyrite leaves a greenish-black streak on unglazed porcelain; gold leaves a gold-yellow streak.
- Shape: pyrite forms angular cubes and striated crystals; gold forms flakes, nuggets and wires.
- Colour: pyrite is pale brass; gold is deeper yellow and stays bright in shade.
Where pyrite is found
Pyrite suns come from coal-bearing shale near Sparta, Illinois; cubes from the Colorado mining districts and Pennsylvania; and pyrite occurs throughout the Appalachian coal fields and the lead-zinc districts of the Midwest.
Caring for pyrite
Pyrite can decay (“pyrite disease”) in humid conditions, turning to white powder and acid. Keep specimens dry and away from other minerals.
Questions
How can you tell pyrite from gold?
Pyrite is hard and brittle with a greenish-black streak and forms angular crystals; gold is soft, bends instead of breaking and leaves a gold-yellow streak.
Where can I find pyrite?
In shale and coal seams across the Appalachian and Illinois basins, mining districts in Colorado and Pennsylvania, and pyrite suns near Sparta, Illinois.
What the map statuses mean is explained in how map statuses work; collecting rules for each kind of land are in rules by land type.
Other rocks and minerals
Agate · Geodes · Quartz · Jasper · Petrified Wood · Fossils · Shark Teeth · Gold · Garnet · Sapphire · Crystals · Calcite · Chalcedony · Copper · Diamonds · Fluorite · Mica · Beryl, Aquamarine & Emerald · Tourmaline
Data: USA Rockhounding atlas records, checked through 2026-08-30. See all rocks and minerals.