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Crystal Lab › Oxides & frameworks

Pyrite FeS₂

AB₂ with S₂²⁻ pairs · space group Pa-3 (No. 205) · Z = 4

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Unit cell

Lattice constants
a = 5.418 Å, b = 5.418 Å, c = 5.418 Å; α = 90°, β = 90°, γ = 90°
Cell volume
159.0 ų
Atoms in the cell
12 (Fe 4, S 8)
Formula units Z
4
Calculated density
5.01 g cm⁻³
Shortest contact
2.158 Å

Coordination

Fe
CN 6 at 2.26 Å (6 S)
S
CN 4 at 2.16 Å (1 S + 3 Fe)

About the structure

  • Rock-salt arrangement of Fe²⁺ and S₂²⁻ dumbbells (S–S 2.17 Å), the dumbbells tilted along the four body diagonals.
  • Coordination: Fe 6 (octahedral, low-spin d⁶), each S bonded to 1 S + 3 Fe.
  • "Fool’s gold"; MnS₂, CoS₂, NiS₂, RuS₂ share the structure.

Atom positions (fractional, one cell)

Atomxyz
Fe0.00000.00000.0000
Fe0.00000.50000.5000
Fe0.50000.00000.5000
Fe0.50000.50000.0000
S0.38500.38500.3850
S0.61500.61500.6150
S0.11500.61500.8850
S0.88500.38500.1150
S0.61500.88500.1150
S0.38500.11500.8850
S0.88500.11500.6150
S0.11500.88500.3850

Z, coordination numbers, distances, density and packing on this page are computed from these coordinates.

Other oxides & frameworks

Open Pyrite in the 3D viewer →  ·  All structures