Pyrite

specimen number:
2133348

location:
Duff Quarry, Logan Co., Ohio, USA

description:
Bright lustrous crystals of pyrite to 0.6 cm in size on matrix. The crystals exhibit the unusual diploid base. In very good condition.

The Duff quarry, located near Huntsville in Logan County, Ohio, is a prominent open-pit aggregate operation that has long been a significant local producer of crushed stone and dolomite. Geologically, the quarry excavates the Silurian-aged Lockport Dolomite and the overlying Greenfield Dolomite, which represent ancient carbonate reef environments characterized by thick, bedded sequences of magnesium-rich limestone. Within the open cavities of this dolostone, pyrite occurs as distinct crystals that exhibit unusual diploid faces, a rare cubic crystal form where twenty-four faces are arranged in pairs across the crystal surface. Formal industrial quarrying at the site was established in 1952 by the Duff family under the corporate name Duff Quarry Incorporated, providing stone for regional construction, agricultural lime, and infrastructure projects. The quarry has maintained continuous commercial operations for over seven decades, utilizing modern heavy machinery, blasting, and processing plants to remain highly active through recent years.

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