pyritespy‧ri‧tes /paɪˈraɪtiːz $ pə-/ noun [uncountable] 
Word Origin
a mix of sulphur with a type of metal, usually iron, or iron and copper → fool’s gold: 
iron pyrites
Word OriginWORD ORIGINpyrites
ExamplesOrigin:
1500-1600 Latin ‘flint’, from Greek, ‘of or in fire’, from pyr; ➔ PYREEXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
word sets- The scientists warn that the deposits of pyrites are too large to neutralize by liming.
- When the wetlands are drained the iron pyrites in the soil are exposed to air and form sulphur acid.
WORD SETS► Geology
agglomerate, nounalabaster, nounanthracite, nounasbestos, nounatoll, nounbasalt, nounbasin, nounbauxite, nounbed, nounbedrock, nounberyl, nounbluff, nouncanyon, nouncape, nouncarboniferous, adjectivechalk, nounchalky, adjectivechasm, nounclay, nouncliff, nouncoal, nouncoastal, adjectivecoastline, nounconglomerate, nouncontinental drift, nouncontinental shelf, nouncore, nouncove, nouncrag, nouncrater, nouncreek, nounCretaceous, adjectivecrevasse, nouncrust, nouncrystal, nouncrystalline, adjectivecrystallize, verbdelta, noundeposit, noundeposition, noundune, noundust bowl, nounearthquake, nounelevation, nounemery, nounepicentre, nounepoch, nounera, nounerode, verberosion, nounerupt, verbescarpment, nounestuary, nounextinct, adjectivefault, nounfeeder, nounfeldspar, nounfiord, nounfjord, nounflint, nounflood plain, nounfluvial, adjectivefold, nounfool's gold, nounfossil, nounfossilize, verbfriable, adjectivegeology, noungeyser, nounglaciation, nounglacier, nounGondwanaland, granite, noungrassland, noungroundwater, noungulf, noungully, nounheadland, nounhinterland, nounhot spring, nounigneous, adjectiveimpervious, adjectiveinactive, adjectiveinlet, nounisthmus, nounjasper, nounjet, nounkaolin, nounknoll, nounlagoon, nounlake, nounlandlocked, adjectivelandslide, nounlandslip, nounlava, nounleach, verblevee, nounlime, nounlimestone, nounloam, nounlowlands, nounmagma, nounmarble, nounmarsh, nounmarshland, nounmatrix, nounmetamorphic, adjectivemica, nounmineral, nounmineralogy, nounmining, nounmoraine, nounmorass, nounmountain, nounmountainside, nounmountaintop, nounmudslide, nounnugget, nounoasis, nounoilfield, nounore, nounoutcrop, nounpalaeontology, nounPalaeozoic, adjectivePangaea, peninsula, nounpermafrost, nounpetroleum, nounpillar, nounpinnacle, nounplate, nounplate tectonics, nounporous, adjectivepothole, nounprairie, nounprecipice, nounpromontory, nounpumice, nounpyrites, nounquartz, nounravine, nounreservoir, nounridge, nounrift, nounrift valley, nounriver, nounrock, nounrock salt, nounsand, nounsand bar, nounsandstone, nounsapphire, nounscarp, nounschist, nounscree, nounseam, nounsediment, nounsedimentary, adjectivesedimentation, nounseismic, adjectiveseismograph, nounseismology, nounsettlement, nounshale, nounshelf, nounshingle, nounsilica, nounsilicate, nounsilt, nounslate, nounstalactite, nounstalagmite, nounstone, nounstrait, nounstrata, stratified, adjectivestratum, nounsubsoil, nounsubstratum, nounsummit, nounterrain, nounthermal, adjectivetopaz, nountopsoil, nountor, nountremor, nountributary, nountrilobite, nountsunami, nountundra, nounturquoise, nounvalley, nounvein, nounvolcanic, adjectivevolcano, nounwatercourse, nounwaterfall, nounwater table, noun
a mix of sulphur with a type of metal, usually iron, or iron and copper → fool’s gold: iron pyrites