this post was submitted on 31 Mar 2025
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What is this thing?

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submitted 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
 

A brittle rock made of glitter. It breaks in this linear fashion and can be pound into sand by a mortar and pestle.

Anyone got any clues?

Edit: Thanks for all the answers. I found it in Romania and after searching for forums of minerals from Romania, I got a few other clues.

It isn't conclusive to me yet, but the possibilities are:

  • Pyrit
  • Mica
  • Schist
  • Nagyágit
  • Calaverit
  • Sylvanit

Of these, Mica and Sylvanit fit the best (imo).

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[–] [email protected] 38 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] lurch 34 points 1 month ago (1 children)

a better way to do it is post something like "look what a cool bauxit i found" and then just wait for them to angrily correct you 😄

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago

the linux support strategy i see

[–] [email protected] 23 points 1 month ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] threelonmusketeers 2 points 1 month ago
[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)

African Grey is the only bird that's made me want a bird.

[–] threelonmusketeers 1 points 1 month ago

Enjoy your loud, destructive, flying toddler for the next several decades! :)

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 month ago
[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago (1 children)

As a kid, I got told that's pyrite, but I'm not sure how correct that is. Most images show the crystalline structure rather than brittle stone, but I was able to find this picture on Wikpedia:

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

It does not very much look like pyrite in OPs picture. The rock does not look very much like ore and with pyrite you'd often still see some crystals, which look like small golden cubes.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago

It might be a schist?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago

I'm not all that great at identification, despite having a sizeable rock collection myself, but I feel pretty confident in saying that you've got a type of mica schist. Schists often are primarily composed of mica.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Not a rock, that's a mineral. Jesus, Marie…!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

For clarification: Most of what you listed, are minerals. Rocks (like schist) are usually composed of different minerals.

Best guess I can make is, that your rock is some kind of schist and contains quite a lot mica. From your picture it does not look very much like pyrite.

The glitter from your rock, especially if it looks like small sheet like flakes is very likely the mica or some other sheet silicate.

That it breaks down quite easily may be a sign of weathering.