David K. Joyce

Pyrite Concretions, Tea Cove, Newfoundland

This is not a new locality but is a very old one, rediscovered!! If you look in Dana's System of Mineralogy,Seventh Edition, published in 1944, you'll see a reference to the "pyrite concretions on the west coast of Newfoundland". I imagine that they were noted in earlier editions, as well. The concretions are as notable now as they were then. These unusual concretions are eroded out of shales by wave action and then sit in the water on top of the shale rock. Thet take on a charming bronzey cast and are solid pyrite. Very dense. They occur in a variety of sizes, some extremely large. Some are smooth potato like masses and others are smooth masses with sharp crystals attached. Unique!!

All prices in Canadian dollars. For payment in US$, deduct 18% or multiply by 0.82.

Click on any of the following thumbnails to view a larger image of the specimen.

Item #27141 Pyrite 9.2x8.6 cm Largest Crystal Size: n/a $55.00 Tea Cove Port au Port Peninsula Newfoundland, Canada A more typical sedimentary, shale-formed spheroidal concretion showing the bands of shale imprinted on the outside of the form. A cluster of pyrite crystals clustered on top. You can't tell from the photos but it actually flying saucer shaped! Nice looking piece!	Item #27139 Pyrite 16.6x14.2x5.3 cm Largest Crystal Size: n/a $85.00 Tea Cove Port au Port Peninsula Newfoundland, Canada A large, flattened, golden potato! Dense! This large concretion has been released from the shale and rumbled around the bottom of the cove for a hundred years or so. Super example! Needs the right amount of postage!	Item #27140 Pyrite 9.7x8.0x4.5 cm Largest Crystal Size: 18mm $65.00 Tea Cove Port au Port Peninsula Newfoundland, Canada This is another interesting piece! It appears to have been part of a larger sheet of pyrite but a part of it that swelled out into a spheroidal concretion with large, sharp cubed of pyrite congregated at one end. Interestingly, the pyrite crystals have amounts of the shale adhering to the middle portion of each cube face sort of resembling inverted hoppers. Very interesting piece!	Item #27631 Pyrite 18.0x12.0x11.0 cm Largest Crystal Size: 25mm $175.00 Tea Cove Port au Port Peninsula Newfoundland, Canada A monster pyrite concretion recovered off of the sea floor of Tea Cove. It is so cool looking being composed of several bulbous knobs of pyrite crystals. Stands perfectly for display. Could also be an effective, great looking door stop! :). Seriously, this is a great looking cabinet specimen that will evoke awesome comments. Extra postage required for this one!
Item #27692 Pyrite 16.0x1.0x8.5 cm Largest Crystal Size: 32mm $140.00 Tea Cove Port au Port Peninsula Newfoundland, Canada A huge cannon ball of a concretion from the amazing locality at Tea Cove. At this locality, pyrit concretions weather out of the shale underwater on the ocean floor and that is where you collect them! At low tide, you walk around in the water, reaching down and picking up the concretions. They, generally, have this nice brownish patina and often have barnacles attached to them, as though to attest that they were, in fact, in the ocean. You can see a couple of white barnacles on this one at the lower right. The crystals range in size and are curved, rounded cubes with minor modifications. Extra postage, please! :) Impressive large cabinet specimen!