pyrrhotite (redirected from magnetic pyrites)

pyrrhotite (pĭr`ətīt) or magnetic pyrites, bronze-yellow to bronze-red mineral, a sulfide of iron sometimes containing nickel. It tarnishes easily and is somewhat magnetic. It crystallizes in the hexagonal system, but appears usually in massive form, and occurs chiefly in basic igneous rocks. In some areas, e.g., at Sudbury, Ont., Canada, it is associated with pentlandite, an important ore of nickel. It is found also in the United States, Europe, and South America.

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pyrrhotite

Iron sulfide mineral in which the ratio of iron to sulfur atoms is somewhat variable but is always slightly less than 1. It commonly is found in association with other sulfides. The variety troilite, with a composition near that of iron sulfide (FeS), is an important constituent of some meteorites.