RocksdayGalena vs Magnetite
How to tell them apart
Lead sulfide and the world's main lead ore. Bright silvery cubes that feel astonishingly heavy for their size.
Photo: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0
The most magnetic naturally occurring mineral. Black, heavy and often found as eight-sided crystals or as black sand on beaches.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick tests
- Hardness: Magnetite is clearly harder: Mohs 5.5–6.5 versus 2.5–2.75.
- Magnet: A magnet sticks to Magnetite but not to Galena.
- Streak (rub on unglazed porcelain): Galena leaves a lead gray streak; Magnetite leaves black.
- Heft: Galena feels noticeably heavier for its size (specific gravity 7.4–7.6 vs 5.1–5.2).
Key differences
- Magnetite is magnetic and too hard to scratch with a coin.
Side by side
| Property | Galena | Magnetite |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Mineral | Mineral |
| Mohs hardness | 2.5–2.75 | 5.5–6.5 |
| Luster | Metallic | Metallic |
| Streak | Lead gray | Black |
| Colors | Silver, Gray | Black |
| Crystal system | Cubic | Cubic |
| Specific gravity | 7.4–7.6 | 5.1–5.2 |
| Formula | PbS | Fe₃O₄ |
| Found in | Viburnum Trend, Missouri; Tri-State district, USA | Kiruna, Sweden; Adirondack Mountains, New York |
Properties that are the same for both are grayed out.
How to identify galena
- Very heavy — noticeably heavier than any similar-sized rock.
- Bright silver-gray metallic, dulling over time.
- Breaks into perfect little cubes.
- Soft enough to scratch with a fingernail edge or coin.
Crystal system: Cubic
Full Galena guide →How to identify magnetite
- Strongly attracts a magnet (some pieces are magnets themselves).
- Black streak.
- Heavy, black, metallic.
- Octahedral crystals when well-formed.
Crystal system: Cubic
Full Magnetite guide →More comparisons
Could you tell them apart from a blurry close-up?
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