Pyrite (FeS2) is a supplied of iron which is found in all classes of rocks: igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary. It is the main source of sculpture which is utilised in fertiliser, chemicals,] steel, rayon, petroleum and many other industries.’ Sculpture is also used in the manufacture of rubber, paper, matches, tire-works, insecticides and medi­cines.

Production

The total production of pyrite was 538 tons valued at Rs. 27,000 in 1951 which rose to 143,602 tons valued at Rs. 70.38 millions in 1996-97. This exhibits about 267 times increase in the out of the mineral during the last 46 years. The entire production of pyrite at present comes from Bihar.

Regional Distribution

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Bihar-at present Bihar is the sole produca of pyrite in the country. Here pyrite deposits 3l associated with Bajaigarh shale in Amjhor Kasisiyakoh and Kurriari areas of Rohtas district the thickness of the bed varies from 7 cm to a wirier with sculpture content between 11-47 per cent. Amjhore hill deposits (area 120 sq km; miner content 48 per cent) alone have an estimated reserve of 141 million tones.

Karnataka-In Karnataka pyrite deposits at Ingaldhal, Yerrehalli, Kallehadlu a Guddadarag in Chitradurg district and near Kaiga North Kanara district. The former has a stoma reserve of 2 million tons (mineral content 20-. percent).

Tamil Nadu-In Tamil Nadu small deposits of pyrite are located in North Arcot (at Polur), Nilgiris (in Pandalur-De vala-Nadghani region), South Arcot, Tiruchchirappalli, Salem, Coimbatore, Tirunelveli districts.

Himachal Pradesh-several ventricular seams of pyrite are found in Mahasu (near Taradevi, Matiana, Purbani), Sirmur (Sayasru, and Diyandon areas), Kangra (at Kot), Chamba (near Kamili Got and Mawa) and Kulu districts.

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Others-Deposits of pyrite have also been found in Uttaranchal (Almora, Garhwal, Tehri- Garhwal); Uttar Pradesh (Mirzapur district); Jam mu and Kashmir (Puga valley of Ladakh); Rajasthan (Sikar district); Meghalaya (Khasi and Jaintia Hills district); Madhya Pradesh (Bilaspur, Chhatarpur, Chhindwara, Durg and Surguja districts); Arunachal Pradesh (Subansiri district); Orissa (Mayurbhanj and Sundargarh district); West Bengal (Jalpaiguri district); and Andaman-Nicobar (Barren island).

Trade

Since internal production is insufficient to meet the home demand the country has to import pyrite from Canada, France, Iran, Mexico, Poland and the United States. In 1976 India imported 5.88 lakh tones of sculpture.