The mineral marcasite, sometimes calle white iron pyrite, is iron sulfide (FeS2). Marcasite is often mistakenly confused with pyrite, but marcasite is lighter and more brittle. Specimens of marcasite often crumble and break up due to the unstable crystal structure, and it is this crystal structure that is the main difference between marcasite and pyrite. Though marcasite has the same chemical formula as pyrite, it crystallizes in a different crystal system, thereby making it a separate mineral. In jewelry, pyrite used as a gem is improperly termed "marcasite". True marcasite is never used as a gem, due to its brittle and chemically unstable structure.