It can also occur as coarse granules. There are other shiny brassy yellow minerals, but pyrite is by far the most common and the most often mistaken for gold. Whether it is the golden look or something else, pyrite is a favorite among rock collectors. It can have a beautiful luster and interesting crystals. It is so common in the earth's crust that it is found in almost every possible environment, hence it has a vast number of forms and varieties.
Pyrite is harder, less dense, and more brittle than gold.
However, pyrite is often associated with the presence of gold and copper, and locating fool's gold may mean the real thing isn't far off. Bravoite is the name given to a nickel-rich iron sulfide. Some mineral books treat it as a variety of pyrite. Pyrite is difficult to distinguish from marcasite when a lack of clear indicators exists. Pyrite's structure is analogous to galena's structure with a formula of PbS. Galena though has a higher symmetry.