Pyrite Sun

thingiverse

Pyrite suns embedded in coal are discovered at a depth of approximately three hundred feet in Randolph County, Illinois. Specifically, these ancient crystals are found nestled within a thin layer of shale that overlays a coal seam. Geological estimates place their origin between 310 to 350 million years ago. Scientists propose one theory explaining the formation of pyrite suns: they grew outward from central points in flat radial patterns. The environment likely influenced this arrangement as it involved growth among layers of rock and soil, constraining crystals within limited spaces, thus dictating a radial configuration over traditional cubic structures. Detailed observations and scans are available due to the efforts of Artur Pacyga at Dr. Franek Hasiuk's GeoFabLab, which falls under the Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences at Iowa State University. These studies employed the MakerBot Digitizer Desktop 3D Scanner operating in medium resolution setting for detailed imaging purposes.