MINERALS AND GEOLOGY OF CANADA. 171 
A. Aspect Metallic. Hardness sufficient to scratch glass. 
A1.—Colour, Light Brass-yellow. 
Tron Pyrites.—A substance of a pale brass-yellow colour, with 
greyish-black streak, occurrmg in amorphous, globular, and other 
masses, and in Monometric crystals (cubes, generally with alter- 
nately-striated faces, pentagonal dodecahedrons, &c., figs. 23, 24, 25.) 
Fig. 23. Fig. 24. Fig. 25. 
H. 6.0-6.5; sp. gr. 4.8-5.1.  Fusible, with sulphur fumes, into a 
magnetic globule. One hundred parts contain: sulphur, 53°5 ; 
iron, 46°7 ; but the iron is sometimes in part replaced by a little co- 
balt or nickel, and occasionally minute portions of gold and silver are 
accidentally present Iron pyrites occurs in all kinds of rocks, and 
is exceedingly common ; but is useless as an ore of iron. It yields 
copperas, or iron-vitriol, by decomposition ; and it is often converted 
on the surface, or wholly, into hydrated brown oxide of iron. It 
sometimes forms the substance of organic remains, as in many of the 
Trilobites, &c., of our Utica Slate. Amongst the principal Canadian 
localities,* we may note, more especially, the counties of Pontiac 
(Clarendon Township), Terrebonne, Berthier (Lanoraie Seign.), and 
Sherbrooke (Garthby Township), in Canada Hast; the vicinity of 
Balsam Lake, where it occurs with magnetic pyrites; and many places 
on the north shore of Lake Huron, Lake Superior, &c. A nickeliferous 
variety occurs in D’ Aillebout, Berthier Co.; and an auriferous variety 
in Vandreuil, Beauce Co., C. ©. We have obtained some brilliant, 
though small, crystals from the white feldspathic trap of the Montreal 
Mountain ; and also from the Niagara limestone, and other fossiliferous 
* For the localities mentioned in these descriptions, we are very largely indebted to the pub- 
lications of the Canadian Geological Survey, and espeecially to the Hsqwisse Géologique du 
Canada, by Sir W.E. Logan and T, Sterry Hunt. We shallbe greatly obliged to our readers 
for any information respecting localities of Canadian minerals; and more especially, if a 
small fragment of the substance referred to in the information, be furnished at the same 
time. A piece no larger than our ordinary pea will be of sufficient size. Although we are 
constantly receiving specimens of different kinds for examination, the exact localities of 
these are generally kept secret by the senders, in the belief that something has been dis: 
covered of more than usual value. 
