A stone guide

Arsenopyrite

Q: What is often mistaken for arsenopyrite?

Pyrite. Pyrite is brass-yellow; arsenopyrite is silver-white.

Silver-white wedge-shaped metallic crystals.

Sulfide (arsenide)PortugalSee treatment disclosure

Arsenopyrite is sulfide (arsenide), FeAsS. In the hand, it rates 5.5 to 6 on the Mohs scale, and it runs silver white and steel gray. Silver-white wedge-shaped metallic crystals, brighter and whiter than pyrite, striated and notably heavy. High-temperature veins and skarns; notable: Panasqueira (Portugal), China, Mexico, Cornwall (England).

The closest match we carry

Love Arsenopyrite? Meet Hematite.

Arsenopyrite is not something we carry. Hematite is the closest match in our collection, and every product page names its origin and grade.

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Hematite Tumbled Stones

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Hematite Tumbled Stones

AA Grade | 0.75–1.25″

MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL

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From $3 per piece★★★★★ 5.0 (7)

Hematite Raw Stones

AA Grade | 1–2″

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Family

Sulfide (arsenide)

Mohs

5.5 to 6

System

Monoclinic (pseudo-orthorhombic)

Luster

Metallic, bright

Gravity

6.0 to 6.2

Light

Opaque

What it is

The geology.

Arsenopyrite carries the formula FeAsS. It belongs to the monoclinic (pseudo-orthorhombic) system. Catalogs list it as sulfide (arsenide).

It sits at 5.5 to 6 on the Mohs scale. The surface reads metallic, bright. Light behavior is opaque. Specific gravity runs 6.0 to 6.2. The streak is dark gray to black. It breaks with distinct cleavage; uneven fracture; brittle.

Silver-white wedge-shaped metallic crystals, brighter and whiter than pyrite, striated and notably heavy.

It reaches buyers as wedge-shaped striated crystals, twinned crosses or massive ore.

Where it comes from

The origins.

High-temperature veins and skarns; notable: Panasqueira (Portugal), China, Mexico, Cornwall (England).

On value, the database notes: affordable; sharp Portuguese crystals are collector pieces.

What people work with it for

Traditional associations.

In energy work traditions, arsenopyrite has no lore; it is collected for its mirror-bright crystals and kept as a display-only piece.

We keep this section because people ask. It sits below the geology on purpose, and none of it describes something the stone does.

What to look for

Spotting the real thing.

Silver-white wedge-shaped metallic crystals, brighter and whiter than pyrite, striated and notably heavy.

Looks like	How to tell them apart
Pyrite	Pyrite is brass-yellow; arsenopyrite is silver-white
Marcasite	Marcasite is paler brass in cockscomb blades; arsenopyrite forms clean silver wedges
Galena	Galena is much softer and cleaves into cubes

Check it yourself

At-home tests.

Before anyone talks you into a lab report, these are the checks worth doing yourself on arsenopyrite.

Test	What you should see
By eye	Silver-white color with dark streak
By eye	Heavy (SG ~6.1)
By eye	Crushing or hard striking gives a garlic odor, do NOT test this deliberately

If these checks leave you unsure, that is what appraisers are for. Do not file, heat or soak a piece to find out.

How to live with it

Care & handling.

At 5.5 to 6 on the Mohs scale it handles careful wear but scratches against quartz and dust. Store it separately and take rings off before rough work.

It breaks with distinct cleavage; uneven fracture; brittle, which is worth knowing before you set it or drop it.

Most damage happens during cleaning, not wearing. Avoid steamers, ultrasonic tanks and anything from under the sink.

Safe handling

Arsenic-bearing, stable as a specimen, but wash hands after handling, never grind, heat, or lick it, and keep it away from children.

Pairs well with.

For the serious reader

A deeper look.

Extended detail on composition, sourcing, authentication and market value.

The physical record

The formula on record is FeAsS. Crystal system: Monoclinic (pseudo-orthorhombic). Specific gravity: 6.0 to 6.2. Streak: Dark gray to black. Cleavage and fracture: Distinct cleavage; uneven fracture; brittle.

How it reaches the market

High-temperature veins and skarns; notable: Panasqueira (Portugal), China, Mexico, Cornwall (England).

What it gets confused with

Pyrite: Pyrite is brass-yellow; arsenopyrite is silver-white. Marcasite: Marcasite is paler brass in cockscomb blades; arsenopyrite forms clean silver wedges. Galena: Galena is much softer and cleaves into cubes.

What it is worth

Affordable; sharp Portuguese crystals are collector pieces.

One more thing

Arsenopyrite is the world's chief ore of arsenic, and a notorious troublemaker in gold mines, where it locks gold inside its crystals.

From the Beyond Bohemian library

An education-first guide.

There is nothing to buy on this page. Arsenopyrite is not part of our catalog, and the guide is here anyway because somebody searching the name deserves a straight answer.

Explore the Crystal Guide

Arsenopyrite

Love Arsenopyrite? Meet Hematite.

The geology.

The origins.

Traditional associations.

Spotting the real thing.

At-home tests.

Care & handling.

Pairs well with.

A deeper look.

The physical record

How it reaches the market

What it gets confused with

What it is worth

One more thing

An education-first guide.

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Arsenopyrite

The geology.

The origins.

Traditional associations.

Spotting the real thing.

At-home tests.

Care & handling.

Pairs well with.

A deeper look.

The physical record

How it reaches the market

What it gets confused with

What it is worth

One more thing

An education-first guide.

Most items are one of one or come in limited batches. See them, and the stories behind them, before anyone else.