Galena

“Lead's shining ore”

Mineral

Galena is the primary ore of lead and one of the most recognizable minerals thanks to its bright metallic luster and perfect cubic crystal habit. Ancient Romans smelted galena on a massive scale for lead plumbing, cosmetics, and pigments.

Composition

lead sulfide (PbS)

Where Found

Missouri (USA — the Lead Belt), Broken Hill (Australia), Derbyshire (England), Germany

Mohs Hardness

2.5

Fun Fact

Early radio enthusiasts used galena crystals as semiconductor detectors in 'crystal radio' sets — one of the first applications of semiconductor technology.