File talk:Pyrite.jpg

From RationalWiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Iron pyrites, also known as "fool's gold", is an iron compound often found in combination with coal-bearing strata. It glisters, but 'tis not gold. Warning to the wary. ħumanUser talk:Human 07:49, 11 August 2009 (UTC)

In a pre-electrical society, however, pyrites (so called because of their usefulness in creating sparks for fire lighting) are more useful than actual gold. WazzaHello? Is there anybody in there? Just nod if you can hear me... 09:01, 11 August 2009 (UTC)
And the only real value gold has, besides the whole "pretty metal, rare" thing, is as an industrial metal. Just like diamonds - sharp, hard, that's all that matters. Oh, yeah, pretty. You can't eat pretty, but you can eat "useful". I did not know pyrites were used for sparking. What were they sparked against? ħumanUser talk:Human 09:12, 11 August 2009 (UTC)
Flints. The Earth' Children series of novels has a cro-magnon girl called Ayla discovering the process. SuspectedReplicant (talk) 09:36, 11 August 2009 (UTC)

this is one beautiful chunk of crystals. Wow. ħumanUser talk:Human 09:15, 11 August 2009 (UTC)

The main "value" of gold is its stability, uncorruptability or whatever. If you've got a gramme of gold in 1960: you've still got a gramme of gold in 2009. I am eating Toast& honeychat 09:34, 11 August 2009 (UTC)
The most important property of gold is its rarity (although without its brilliant lustre that would be irrelevant). All the gold that has ever been mined would fit in a cube the length of a tennis court. Redchuck.gif ГенгисOur ignorance is God; what we know is science. 12:02, 11 August 2009 (UTC)