looking for marcasite

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hello! pardon me if this post is in the wrong forum topic.

does anyone have a source for marcasite? i've been looking for a couple of years without any success. seems as though Europe is the place to look, although i just got an email from someone who found some in northern Washington state. i'd pay $100 for two palm-sized nodules. i want them for percussion firestrarting. and i'd love to obtain a lot of smaller pieces for my students to use. thank you!

storm*stoneageskills.com
(replace * for @ when sending mail)
 

tomtom

Full Member
Dec 9, 2003
4,283
5
38
Sunny South Devon
Storm, i have edited your post only to fragment your email address so you dont recieve spam emails.

Would you care to explain what marcasite is (it sounds like a rock) and how it is used for fire lighting?
 

jdlenton

Full Member
Dec 14, 2004
3,002
7
50
Northampton
here you go tomtom i believe you can strike it with flint to produce sparks but it is a difficult thing to do the sparks are a lot colder than those from a strike a lite
 

tomtom

Full Member
Dec 9, 2003
4,283
5
38
Sunny South Devon
Ok its a lot like pyrite, i would suggest that is probably a lot cheaper and easier to find and i know it can also be used for fire lighting!?
 
I've picked up marcassite nodules (balls) by the dozen at the Cran d'Escale, between Cap Gris Nez and Cap Blanc Nez (Calais). That's as close to UK as you can get in Europe :lmao:

The things look like brown round potatoes from the outside but when broken shine like gold. They are washed out of the cliffs, right on the shore. Beautifullll.
 

Keith_Beef

Native
Sep 9, 2003
1,366
268
55
Yvelines, north-west of Paris, France.
storm said:
hello! pardon me if this post is in the wrong forum topic.

does anyone have a source for marcasite? i've been looking for a couple of years without any success. seems as though Europe is the place to look, although i just got an email from someone who found some in northern Washington state. i'd pay $100 for two palm-sized nodules. i want them for percussion firestrarting. and i'd love to obtain a lot of smaller pieces for my students to use. thank you!

storm*stoneageskills.com
(replace * for @ when sending mail)

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=7358&highlight=Minerales+Brasil

K.
 

Snufkin

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Oct 13, 2004
2,097
138
53
Norfolk
These folks do marcastle? might be a typo? Price looks ok so it may be worth dropping them an email.
 

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