Fool's Gold?

[Will52100]

Is it posible to forge iron pyrite? I've read about it somewhere being worked into jewlry and such, but can't remember where. Since it's a type of iron could it be forge welded into a billit, or at least welded up and used as furniture?

Thanks,
Will

 

[Steve Hayden]

Iron Pyrite FeS2 Is a moleculular mineral. If you heat it to forging temperatures in an oxidizing atmosphere you will generate Iron and SO2 (Sulfur Dioxide) gas, which smells bad and is toxic. If the atmosphere is reducing you will get H2S wich I am sure you are familiar with as an oil patch hand. It also smells bad and is more toxic.

 

[Phillip Dobson]

You'd pretty much need to smelt it into iron first.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Short answer - NO.
Iron pyrite is a mineral, not a metal.
Stacy

 

[Will52100]

So no simply forging it down. I wonder what it'd look like smelted?

I'd defenatly like to avoid H2S.

It's an idea that's been running around in my head since I read about it a while back. Should have known it didn't have any basis in fact.

Thanks.

 

[Phillip Dobson]

I wonder what it'd look like smelted?

It would look just like iron. Pyrite is a fairly important ore mineral.

 

[Will52100]

Oh well, if I wanted to try smelting there's probably a lot cheaper ways to get iron to do it with. I take it the gold color is from the sulfer in it.