Galena

Lead sulfide and the world's main lead ore. Bright silvery cubes that feel astonishingly heavy for their size.

Galena specimen — Photo: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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.

Often confused with

Hematite
Hematite leaves a reddish-brown streak and is much harder.
Compare side by side
Magnetite
Magnetite is magnetic and too hard to scratch with a coin.
Compare side by side

Where it's found

Viburnum Trend, Missouri
Tri-State district, USA
Madan, Bulgaria

Uses

Lead for batteries and radiation shielding; also a silver source.

Rock tumbling

Not suitable for tumbling. Toxic lead dust. Wash your hands after handling.

Did you know?

Early 'crystal radios' used a galena crystal and a thin wire 'cat's whisker' to pick up broadcasts.

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