b'Pyritethe firestoneFeaturePyrite in the pre-modern and modern world Plato (427347 BC) believed that the world had a soul and that the universe was alive and conscious. A strand of human Pyrite continues to occupy a noteworthy place in social,philosophy, panpsychism, posits that materials can think, industrial, mining, technical, and environmental matters. more or less, as consciousness is believed to be part of the Social pyrite fundamental nature of all matter. Mind is in all matter; all matter has experience (David 2016; Taylor 2019). Such a Pyrite is a cheap, common sulphide, and specimens of superbphilosophical narrative is pregnant with possibilities. In the appearance are available. The variety of attractive forms, themineral kingdom consciousness could be the appreciation brassy colour and splendent metallic lustre make pyrite anof the buzz and vibration of existence, if not the complex affordable favourite of mineral collectors. They seek individualconsciousness of humans. Who knows? One view asks why crystals of striking appearance, and crystal stacks and clustersmaterials should not be conscious, and asserts that the set in a matrix of other minerals such as quartz thus makingdenigration of panpsychism as loony is simply a manifestation attractive composite specimens. of anthropomorphic bias. Pyrite has impressive physical properties (Table 1) and, being ubiquitous, could be regarded Pyrite is also a gemmy ornamental material, but confusinglyas an elite material, ideal for a consciousness study. What known as marcasite, an unstable dimorph which is quiteis it like to be pyrite? I glitter, therefore I am (apologies to unsuitable for this purpose. Pyrite when polished seems whiterDescartes). Socially committed geoscientists may find this than its usual colour. It is widely used in jewellery (Figure 5)weirdness a fruitful field of progressive research. It ticks owing to its low price (Liddicott, 1909). the boxes for: atmospheric hygiene (no nasty carbon in its Pyrite features in modern day lithotherapy. Pyrite crystals fitchemistry), diversity (it is decidedly different), inclusivity readily into the category of attractive diminutive objects not(the kinship of consciousness), and sustainability (there is so to be regarded merely as ornaments, but rather as sourcesmuch of it). An environmental soft-print can be ensured by of positive occult energies when worn as rings, necklaces orresearchers eschewing vehicular and aeroplane transport amulets or simply carried as pocket stones. If one believes Newfor field work and conference attendance; bipedal motion, Age lore, then a hunk of pyrite placed on a conference tablebicycle, scooter, canoe, ketch, and hot air balloon, are to be invigorates the ambience and optimises decisionsjust theused instead. Samples for study would be ethically sourced thing for a meeting to discuss exploration data? Furthermore,and respectfully collected. The purity and potential of such a post meeting, the participants can be comforted by their ownvisionary project will attract plaudits, perhaps lavish funding. pet piece of pyrite which, we are assured by crystal therapists,The result of these endeavours, in the current bracing climate helps breathing, circulation, brainpower, and promotesof cultural relativism, would celebrate a non-normative practicality, harmony, willpower. Perhaps the beneficial effectsconception of mineralogy. Cutting edge stuff, indeed, and an are due to a massaging of the vascular system by a thermalexhilarating opportunity for virtue signalling.flux transmitted through the gullibility aether. However, thisPyrite miningblood booster hypothesis seems to violate the second law of thermodynamics which does not permit the spontaneous flowFor centuries pyrite was the main source of sulphur until it was of heat from a relatively cool (pyrite) to a warm body (37oC,displaced by Frasch sulphur from the evaporitic caprocks of human). Investigations continue into the fascinating topic ofsaltdomes, and more recently by scrubbed sulphur captured in empowerment by pyrite, but the path is daunting, and strewnthe smokestacks of low emission coal power plants. However, with credibility hurdles. pyrite is still mined for sulphur to a limited extent in China, Russia and India.Most pyrite is now mined for its contained gold. These deposits are huge and low grade; the (sub) microscopic gold occurs within the pyrite, e.g. Carlin with 0.37% Au in arsenian pyrite.Pyrite and alchemyThe dabblings and experiments of alchemy (Figure 6) up to the 18th century led to the development of modern chemistry which analysed and reinterpreted useful empirical data from the often obscurantist writings of early practitioners such as the great Sir Isaac Newton, who wrote over a million words on the subject. The old chemistry dealt with primitive pharmacology, chemical reactions and compounding, metallurgy, and the transmutations of base metals into gold. Aristotelian theory reigned: prime matter and forms interacted to produce the four elements fire, air, earth water which in various combinations accounted for all materials. Changing the proportions changed the material; any substance should be changeable into another substance under suitable conditions. Transmutation was the Figure 5.A piece of marcasite jewellery. Marcasite itself is far too unstablealchemists ambition and pyrites encouraged continuing for such a purpose. The marcasite is actually polished and faceted pyrite. Theexperimentations to achieve it for it was observed that pyrites pyrite pieces are set in metal for this lizard brooch. https://commons.wikimedia. could be converted into gold, even if the amounts were org/wiki/File:Marcasite_silver_lizard_brooch_2.JPG / Creative Commonssmall. It is now well known that some pyrite deposits contain Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported microscopic and sub-microscopic grains of gold, invisible to DECEMBER 2019 PREVIEW 56'