Pyrite vs Gold: How to Tell Them Apart
The quick answer
Scrape it on unglazed white tile: real gold leaves a golden-yellow streak, while pyrite (fool's gold) leaves a greenish-black to brownish-black streak.
Pyrite vs gold is the original "fool's gold" problem, and the streak test ends it. Drag the specimen across a piece of unglazed white tile. Gold leaves a yellow streak that matches the metal; pyrite leaves a greenish-black or brownish-black streak. A dark streak from a shiny yellow rock means it is not gold, full stop.
Three more clues back it up: gold is soft and will not scratch glass, pyrite is hard and will; gold dents and bends, pyrite shatters; and gold is astonishingly heavy, nearly four times denser than pyrite. If you just want a quick opinion from a photo, the rock identifier will name the likely mineral and flag the look-alikes.
| Property | Pyrite | Gold |
|---|---|---|
| Hardness (Mohs) | 6-6.5 (scratches glass and steel) | 2.5-3 (soft; a knife scratches it) |
| Streak | Greenish-black to brownish-black | Golden-yellow (matches the metal) |
| Luster | Bright metallic; flashes then dulls when turned | Metallic; steady, soft buttery shine |
| Color | Pale brassy yellow | Rich, warm yellow; not brassy |
| Crystal habit / shape | Sharp cubes and 12-sided crystals with flat faces | Irregular nuggets, grains, wires, and flakes |
| Density / heft | About 5.0 g/cm3 | About 19.3 g/cm3 (feels far too heavy) |
| Price | Low; collectible specimens only | Very high (a precious metal) |
How to tell them apart
Run these in order. The streak test is the single most reliable check and settles most finds on its own. The rest confirm it and need no special equipment beyond a tile, a piece of glass, and a steady hand.
Two of these clues, the streak and the heft, are enough together. A dark streak plus a light feel rules out gold instantly. Avoid hammering a promising piece harder than you must, and if a specimen passes every test, take it to a jeweler or assay lab to confirm.
- Streak test (decisive): scrape it on unglazed white tile. Gold leaves a yellow streak; pyrite leaves a greenish-black to brownish-black streak.
- Hardness test: pyrite (about 6) scratches glass; gold (about 2.5-3) cannot. If it gouges a glass bottle, it is pyrite.
- Malleability test: tap it gently. Gold dents and flattens because it is malleable; pyrite is brittle and shatters or crumbles into powder.
- Heft test: pick it up. Gold is nearly four times denser than pyrite, so a real nugget feels far heavier than a rock its size should.
- Shape and shine: sharp cubic crystals and a brassy flash that dulls when turned mean pyrite; soft lumpy nuggets with a steady yellow glow mean gold.
What each one is
Pyrite is iron sulfide (FeS2), the most common gold look-alike on Earth. It is pale brassy yellow with a bright metallic shine and famously grows as crisp cubes and 12-sided crystals with flat, mirror-like faces. It is hard, brittle, and earns its "fool's gold" nickname honestly.
Gold is a native metal, element Au. It is rare, soft, and extremely dense. In rock it usually appears laced through milky white quartz veins as dull yellow threads and specks; in rivers it turns up as flattened flakes and rounded nuggets in the heaviest material at the bottom of a pan. It never forms sharp cubic crystals.
Which is more valuable
Gold is worth vastly more. It is a precious metal traded by weight at a high price, while pyrite has little value as a metal. The whole reason "fool's gold" is a phrase is that people mistook cheap pyrite for the real payday.
Pyrite is not worthless, though. Well-formed cubic crystals and large clean specimens are collectible and sell as mineral samples and decorative pieces, and it was historically mined for sulfur. Just do not expect gold-level money. If a specimen passes the streak and heft tests and dents instead of shattering, that is the point to stop guessing and have it assayed.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell pyrite from gold quickly?
Do the streak test. Scrape the specimen on unglazed white tile: gold leaves a golden-yellow streak, while pyrite leaves a greenish-black or brownish-black streak. Then lift it; gold is nearly four times heavier than pyrite. A dark streak or a light feel rules out gold.
Does pyrite scratch glass and gold does not?
Correct, and it is a useful tell. Pyrite is hard (about 6 on the Mohs scale) and scratches glass and steel. Gold is soft (about 2.5-3) and cannot scratch glass; the glass or knife scratches the gold instead. If your shiny yellow rock gouges a glass bottle, it is pyrite.
Why does my gold-colored rock have sharp cube shapes?
Because it is pyrite, not gold. Pyrite naturally grows as sharp cubes and 12-sided crystals with flat, geometric faces. Gold almost never forms neat crystals; it occurs as irregular nuggets, grains, wires, and flakes with soft, lumpy edges. Sharp cubes are a clear sign of fool's gold.
Can gold and pyrite be found together?
Yes. Gold and pyrite often occur in the same quartz veins and deposits, which is part of why they get confused in the field, and some pyrite even contains tiny amounts of gold locked inside. But a brassy cube next to a gold vein is still pyrite, so test each piece on its own.
Is pyrite worth any money?
A little. Pyrite has minimal value as a metal, but well-formed cubic crystals and large clean specimens are collectible and sell as mineral samples and decorative pieces. It was also mined historically for sulfur. So it is not worthless, just not the gold-level find people hope for.
In the field guide
Last updated 2026-06-26. Educational comparison — confirm an identification with the tests described or a qualified expert before relying on it.