Victorian Goldfields Pyrite Showpiece with Tiny Quartz Crystals: Specimen 17

Notable Features

This small but striking specimen weighs 44 g and measures approximately 5 × 5.5 × 2.5 cm (Width × Length × Height). It is loaded with pyrite, making it more of a pyrite showpiece than a quartz crystal piece. The specimen features clusters of tiny white and brown quartz crystals, some of which are broken, alongside brown hexagonal crystal fragments. Around the quartz, a brown sulfide cluster enriches the piece with metallic contrast and mineral texture.

Sulfide Level

High Sulfide Level – The specimen is saturated with pyrite, with sulfides concentrated around quartz crystals and in brown metallic clusters. These make the piece sparkle despite its small size and give it strong collector appeal as a pyrite-rich display piece.

See how we rate sulfide levels by visiting our FAQ section.

Mineral Assemblage

• Quartz – tiny white and brown crystals, with some broken and hexagonal fragments visible

• Pyrite – dominant metallic mineral, concentrated in clusters

• Sulfides (brown cluster) – associated with pyrite and quartz

• Iron oxides – staining and coloration in host and crystals

• Trace potential: chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite, stibnite, tetrahedrite, gold, silver, antimony

Note: Not every specimen contains the full mineral assemblage above. Minerals may appear in varying amounts, and each specimen may only feature a subset. Each piece is unique and chosen for its visual appeal and geological character.

Geological Story

This specimen formed during the Silurian Period (~440–420 million years ago), when tectonic activity fractured submarine fan sediments in the Victorian Goldfields. Silica- and metal-rich hydrothermal fluids circulated through these fractures, crystallizing quartz and depositing abundant pyrite as they cooled.

In Specimen 17, quartz crystallized into tiny white and brown crystals, some forming hexagonal habits, others broken during later mineralization events. The surrounding sulfides, dominated by pyrite, grew in dense clusters, turning the specimen into a miniature pyrite-rich showpiece. The brown coloration comes from oxidation of sulfides and iron oxide staining within the host rock.

The mineralizing system that produced this specimen was historically mined for gold, silver, and antimony, though most of the precious metals are refractory, locked within sulfides. Rare free gold specimens are known from the region.

This specimen is not sold as “gold ore.” It is a collector’s specimen, valued for its abundant pyrite, tiny crystal growth, and mineral-rich clusters — a small but eye-catching fragment of the Victorian Goldfields.