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Sulfide · Galena Group

Galena

PbS

The lead-gray cubic crystal that has supplied most of history's lead.

Hardness2.5
Crystal systemIsometric
LusterMetallic
Sp. gravity7.4–7.6
ClassSulfide
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Galena specimen

Galena — Photo: Mike Beauregard from Nunavut, Canada · CC BY 2.0

What is Galena?

Galena is lead sulfide — PbS — and the most important lead ore. It crystallizes in the isometric system as cubes and octahedra, and its perfect three-direction cleavage makes it shatter into glittering little cubes.

Pick up a thumbnail-sized piece and it feels wrong — at nearly 7.5 times the density of water, nothing this small should weigh this much. Galena often carries enough silver to be mined for it; the silver-lead mines of Lavrion in Greece bankrolled the Athenian fleet.

In one sentence: Galena is heavy, soft, lead-gray, and breaks into cubes — one of the easiest ores to identify.

Physical Properties

The full data table is in the panel alongside. Here’s what those numbers actually mean.

Cleavage. Three perfect directions at right angles — a hallmark of the isometric sulfides.

Weight. SG 7.4–7.6 is the giveaway; even experienced collectors are surprised.

Silver content. Silver substitutes for lead or occurs as included acanthite — argentiferous galena built whole mining districts.

What It’s Used For

Lead oreThe principal ore of lead — batteries, shielding, ammunition.
Silver oreGalena commonly carries silver and is a major silver source.
Collector specimensSharp cubes and octahedra are display staples.

How to Identify It

Very heavy for its size (SG ~7.5)Perfect cubic cleavage — breaks into small cubesLead-gray color and streakSoft — scratched by a fingernail edge
Looks like…But differs because…Quick test
MagnetiteMagnetic and much harder; streak is blackMagnet
StibniteBladed striated crystals, one-direction cleavage, far lighterHabit & weight

Where It’s Found

Notable localities for fine specimens:

Joplin / Tri-State district, United States Freiberg, Germany Broken Hill, Australia Madan district, Bulgaria Dalnegorsk, RussiaOpen the locality map →