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Techniques for CollectorsFracturing pyrite problem

3rd Apr 2018 21:51 UTCPeter K. Szarka

Last summer, I picked this unusual stalactite pyrite from Nanisivik Mine, N.W.T. from a dealer at the Bancroft Gemboree, While originally intact, the specimen has since fractured in several places along its length. As you can see from the photo, there's an almost complete break across the diameter, part-way down. There are other smaller cracks near the tip. I assume that it has dried out hence the resultant cracks.

I'd like to know if there's a way to keep this thing together. The specimen is 4.5 cm in length. It has the drip-hole on both ends. The cracks are razor-thin. Is there some sort of a fill method?

3rd Apr 2018 23:54 UTCDavid Baldwin

It's the beginning of the end I'm afraid. Looks like 'pyrite disease', and once it has begun, is virtually impossible to stop. There are various techniques the may slow the process, but in the end, you specimen will most likely self destruct.

4th Apr 2018 00:19 UTCKeith Compton 🌟 Manager

Doomed

I am not sure whether your specimen has "dried out" but rather reacted more to moist or humid air.

Better to remove it from being near any other mineral specimens.

I recently purchased a small Elba Hematite / Pyrite and it s has split in half and is self destructing rapidly. I realy didn't expect the Elba piece to self destruct.

It's now in the "isolation ward".

I'll take a couple of pics of my piece and post them soon ( it'll effectively be "alive and demised" photos ).

Cheers

4th Apr 2018 01:15 UTCAlfredo Petrov Manager

Peter, I think it's the opposite of "drying out"; it's hydrating and oxidizing. Pyrite disease. Keeping it very very dry, with a desiccator, could save it, but trying to fill in the cracks won't.

4th Apr 2018 01:19 UTCHolger Hartmaier 🌟

Peter- please note Nanisivik Mine is located in Nunavut, not the Northwest Territories. However some of the original material was collected prior to the establishment of Nunavut in 1999 and may be labeled as "Northwest Territories". A complete current locality description would be "Nanisivik Mine, Baffin Island, Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada."

BTW: Sorry to hear about the cracks in specimen. It looks like a nice piece. The pyrite at this mine was pseudomorphous after marcasite, so perhaps some "pyrite disease" is occurring due to some marcasite being present. The ground temperature in the underground mine was around -12 degrees C. When samples were collected, they frequently fell apart when thawed. So it is also likely that your specimen was stabilized by frost action underground and incipient cracks may have formed due to thermal expansion.

Cheers,

Holger

4th Apr 2018 01:38 UTCPeter K. Szarka

Well the news is not good. Such a shame. It's very unique form of pyrite.

Beautiful while it lasts I guess.

I will heed your suggestions and isolate it from the other specimens. Thank you.

4th Apr 2018 01:49 UTCReiner Mielke Expert

It is likely falling apart because of marcasite mixed in with the pyrite. Some of these pyrites are incomplete pseudomorphs of marcasite. The sample can be saved but the damage cannot be reversed only the decay halted. I suggest you read this thread to learn how to deal with it. https://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,19,186968,430328#msg-430328

4th Apr 2018 05:17 UTCDean Allum Expert

I will attest to effectiveness of Reiner's miracle cure to the pyrite disease. I have applied it to about 20 pyrite concretions which were in a stage of rapid deterioration, and they have all halted their decay.

It is a far better fate for these specimens to have a microscopic coating of hydrocarbons than to become a lump of sulfates.

Thanks again Reiner!

4th Apr 2018 15:31 UTCAndrew Debnam 🌟

I will second Reiner's solution as a good one

4th Apr 2018 20:23 UTCPeter K. Szarka

@ Reiner

Thanks. Good idea. This sounds like a good solution and was sort of what I had envisioned, a type of infiltration.

I also had an idea of coating a very thin wire with glue and inserting it inside the drip hole to solidify it. But then I get the problem of dissimilar metals.

Wish I had this knowledge before the Chines 'sun' pyrite concretion fell apart.

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