Pyrite

specimen number:
8911002

location:
Ulyanovsk, Ulyanovsk Oblast, Russia

description:
A large sectarian nodule half, this mostly filled with attractive iridescent micro crystallized pyrite. In great condition.

Located along the Volga River in Russia, Ulyanovsk is famous among fossil and mineral collectors for its Cretaceous-era marine deposits that yield world-class iridescent pyrite, often referred to as peacock pyrite or fool's gold. The local geology features sedimentary layers rich in organic matter and iron sulfides, which formed under ancient shallow seas and preserved prehistoric marine life such as ammonites and belemnites. Over millions of years, mineralizing solutions replaced organic fossil shells with pyrite, while thin microscopic films of iron oxides formed on the surfaces to create vibrant rainbow interference colors. Commercial and amateur collectors carefully extract these shimmering, fossilized shells from clay banks along the river, making Ulyanovsk one of the premier global localities for colorful, iridescent pyritized specimens.

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