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Galena
Posted by David Von Bargen
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Galena June 13, 2009 03:47PM |
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Click here to view Best Minerals G and here for Best Minerals A to Z and here for Fast Navigation of completed Best Minerals articles.
Can you help make this a better article? What good localities have we missed? Can you supply pictures of better specimens than those we show here? Can you give us more and better information about the specimens from these localities? Can you supply better geological or historical information on these localities?
Galena
PbS Cubic
Galena is the most important ore of lead, is often associated with silver minerals, and has been mined for at least 2000 years. It is found in hydrothermal veins and Mississippi Valley type deposits (MVT). Galena is a rare mineral in some granitic pegmatites. It is also found in the contact metamorphic skarn deposits. Most specimens are collected in active mines since it is an ore mineral and the good cubic cleavage makes recovering undamaged crystals from waste rock piles difficult.
The common crystal forms are the cube, octahedron and dodecahedron. About another 40 different forms are rarely encountered. Twinning is most common on {111} - spinel twins, which tend to form large platy crystals. Skeletal and hopper crystals are rare as are etched crystals. Crystals less than 5cm are commonly available from many localities.
Galena is an opaque mineral that comes in a blue gray color. The crystal faces can be shiny or dull (there may be some surface oxidation to anglesite or cerussite). Some of these altered crystals have an attractive white coating of alteration products. Rarely, you can get an iridescent coating on the crystals.
Galena
Austria
Carinthia, Gailtaler Alpen & Karnische Alpen Mts, Bleiberg District
Galena and sphalerite were deposited in the karstic Wetterstein limestone, similar to the Mississippi Valley type ores. Although lead mining started more than 2000 years ago, the first written record about lead mining dates to 1333 and the last mine closed in 1993. Common associated minerals are baryte, gypsum, anhydrite, fluorite, dolomite and calcite. Galena forms octahedral crystals to 4cm (commonly 1cm)
Galena
Belgium
Liège Province, Verviers, Plombières-Vieille Montagne District, Kelmis, Moresnet, Schmalgraf Mine
Galena is found either in mesothermal veins (0.5 to 2km long and up to 10m wide) and skarn deposits. Mining began in the Roman period, but greater exploitation dates from the Turkish period. Mining is still being carried out in a number of areas. Common associates include sphalerite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, albandite, tetrahedrite with a gangue of quartz, manganocalcite and rhodochrosite. Galena is commonly formed as cubes or octahedrons up to 20cm in size. Epitaxial growths, etch figures and spinel twins are frequently observed.
Galena
Bulgaria
Plovdiv Oblast, Rhodope Mts, Djurkovo Complex, Droujba (Drujba) Mine
Galena
Bulgaria
Smolyan Oblast, Rhodope Mts, Madan ore field, Angel Yanakiev Mine, Karaaliev dol deposit
Galena
Bulgaria
Smolyan Oblast, Rhodope Mts, Madan ore field, Krushev dol mine, Krushev dol deposit
Galena
Bulgaria
Smolyan Oblast, Rhodope Mts, Madan ore field, Septemvri mine
Galena
Canada
Nunavut Territory, Little Cornwallis Island, Polaris Mine (Arvik Mine)
The Polaris mine was discovered in 1972 and was the most noretherly metal mine. Production was between 1981 and 2002 with 20 million tons of 17% ore. The ores are considered to ba a Mississippi Valley type and are found in a dolomite between 60 and 300 meters in depth. Galena cubes to 6cm were found, although a lot of the ore is scalenblende.
We need some photos of good specimens!
Galena
Canada
Ontario, Wentworth Co., Hamilton, Dundas, Lafarge Dundas North Quarry
Galena
Czech Republic
Bohemia, Central Bohemia Region, Příbram, Březové Hory (Birkenberg)
Galena
Germany
North Rhine-Westphalia, Aachen, Eschweiler, Hastenrath, Meyer Quarry
In 2007 a couple of huge pockets lined with Galena crystals up to 3 cm were found by a couple of German and Dutch collectors. The specimens became instant classics, they go for a fair amount of Euros these day and they drew a lot of attention during that year's Mineralientagen in Munich. From the main pocket came plates of mainly octahedral Galena modified by the cube, in another pocket some plates were still attached to the underlying Aragonite. Specimens up to 20 cm wide were found, some of them had mirror-like lustre whereas other ones were etched or had a layer of Anglesite on them. Accompanying minerals were Sphalerite, Aragonite, Calcite, Dolomite, Smithsonite, Malachite, Rosasite, Pyrite, Marcasite, Anglesite and Cerussite.
Galena
Germany
North Rhine-Westphalia, Bad Laasphe, Fischelbach, Gonderbach Mine
Perfect, isolated tabular twins to 3 cm across. They were named "Gonderbach slabs" (Gonderbacher Platten) for this locality.
We need photos!!
Galena
Germany
North Rhine-Westphalia, Eifel Mts, Mechernich, Mechernicher Bleiberg
Galena
Germany
North Rhine-Westphalia, Niederberg area, Wülfrath, Rohdenhaus, Rohdenhaus Quarry
Also known are pseudomorphs of 1cm calcite scalenohedra from Grube Friedrichssegen (near Koblenz).
Galena
Germany
North Rhine-Westphalia, Siegerland, Neunkirchen, Salchendorf, Pfannenberger Einigkeit Mine
Gonderbach twins to 5 cm across, also perfect spinel twins.
We need photos!!
Galena
Germany
Rhineland-Palatinate, Siegerland, Herdorf
Galena
Germany
North Rhine-Westphalia, Siegerland, Wilnsdorf, Niederdielfen, Grimberg Mine
Galena
Germany
Rhineland-Palatinate, Hunsrück Mts, Bernkastel-Kues, Kautenbach Mine
Galena
Germany
Saxony, Erzgebirge, Freiberg District, Freiberg
Most of the mines in the Freiberg District produced fine groups of octahedral galena (2cm). Most sought after by collectors are specimens of galena crystals on honey-yellow fluorite from Beihilfe Mine (pictures!!!). Galena is often associated with fluorite, pyrite/marcasite, sphalerite and, occasionally, with sulphosalts. Gonderbach twins have also been found along with skeletal crystals in barite.
Galena
Germany
Saxony-Anhalt, Harz Mts, Harzgerode, Neudorf
Neudorf is famous for the fine galena and bournonite specimens that were recovered from the Meiseberg and Pfaffenberg mines during their active working period. The galena crystals, typically showing combinations of cubic, octahedral and dodecahedral faces - the so-called Neudorf habit - did reach impressing sizes of up to 12 cm along the edges.
Galena
Ireland
Co. Tipperary, Silvermines District
160Mt of lead/zinc ore. Similar to Mississippi Valley Type deposits but with a synsedimentary component and much higher deposion temperatures in limestones and dolomites. Mining started in the Middle Ages, but the mine is known to the mineral community for the discovery of a large vug (3 meters long, 1 meter high and 2 meters wide) in 1978 collected by Richard Barstow. This vug produced specimens of galena, honey-yellow sphalerite and pyrite. Galena occurred as mirror-bright cuboctahedral crystals up to 2.5 cm across. The primary minerals include sphalerite, galena, pyrite, barite and siderite. The mines are currently flooded.
Galena
Italy
Piedmont, Torino Province, Canavese District, Chiusella Valley, Traversella, Traversella Mine
Galena
Italy
Sardinia, Carbonia-Iglesias Province, Iglesias, Punta della Torre, San Giovanni Mine
Galena
Italy
Sardinia, Medio Campidano Province, Arbus, Montevecchio Mines
Galena
Italy
Tuscany, Lucca Province, Apuan Alps, Stazzema, Bottino Mine
Galena
Japan
Honshu Island, Chubu Region, Niigata Prefecture, Shiraita mine
Much larger galena crystals are known from this area, for example cuboctahedrons up to 10cm from the Daira mine. A museum in Japan has a distorted cube about 12cm in size from the Ani mine. The mines are all closed and no more sulphides are coming out.
Galena
Mexico
Chihuahua, Mun. de Aquiles Serdán, Santa Eulalia District, West Camp, Francisco Portillo, La Purísima Mine
Galena
Peru
Lima Department, Huarochiri Province, Casapalca
Galena altered to Anglesite
Poland
Upper Silesia (Śląskie), Rybnik Coal Basin, Rybnik, Ignacy-Hoym coal mine
Galena
Russia
Far-Eastern Region, Primorskiy Kray, Dal'negorsk
The mineral deposits in the Dal'negorsk area were probably known in the 12th or 13th centuries, but exploitation of the deposits started about 1900. The deposits are located in hedenbergite skarns. The deposits have produced a number of other world class specimens including calcite, fluorite, pyrrhotite, and quartz. Galena crystals usually are cubo-octahedral crystals, but cubes and octahedrons are known (usually less than 4cm), which sometimes display growth steps. Spinel twins are relatively common (and are sometimes epitaxial on sphalerite and pyrrhotite). Mosaic, skeletal and lattice specimens can be up to 30cm in size.
Galena
Russia
Far-Eastern Region, Primorskiy Kray, Dal'negorsk, Nikolaevskoe Pb-Zn-Ag deposit, Nikolaevskiy Mine
Galena
Spain
Basque Country, Guipúzcoa, Beasaín, Mutiloa, Troya Mine
Galena
Sweden
Lappland, Arjeplog, Nasafjäll silver mine
The Nasafjäll Silver mine is a hydrothermal Pb/Zn/As deposit with some Sb and Ag. The metal deposit lies in quartz lenses and gangues between the precambrian basement granite and metamorphic schists from the caledonian orogeny. The ore was discovered in the 1620-ties and has been worked in three periods; The first period from 1635- 1659, the second from 1770 to 1810 and finally some test production in the 1850-ties. Due to the harsh climate, remote location and limited ore resources the operations has never been profitable. Good records on the annual production figures ( swedish text) can be obtained from the Swedish Geological Survey (SGU).
Galena occurs in gangues and lenses within the quartz, and lenses up to and exceeding 10 cm can be found even today. I guess there will never be a lot of good material from here on the market, the location is still too remote ( 2-2 1/2 hour hike one way) and harsh ( Altitude 1000m above sea level at the artic circle) to justify any operations, whether for specimens or ore. It is a beautiful landscape though.
Galena
Switzerland
Wallis, Binn Valley, Im Feld, Lengenbach Quarry
Galena
UK
The best Cornish galenas came from Chiverton Mine. Matlock produced fine octahedrons, often associated with calcite. Penines are Mississippi Valley Type ores. Mining for lead dates from the Roman times.
Galena
UK
England, Co. Durham, North Pennines, Weardale, Ireshopeburn, Blackdene Mine
The Blackdene has produced the finest British specimens. Loose floater groups of cubic or cubo-octahedral crystals up to 20cm on edge were found. Specimens also have associated fluorite and calcite.
Galena
UK
England, Co. Durham, North Pennines, Weardale, Rookhope District, Boltsburn Mine
Galena
UK
England, Cornwall, Camborne - Redruth - St Day District, Gwennap area, Baldhu, Wheal Jane
Galena
UK
England, Cornwall, Liskeard District, Menheniot Area, Lanreath, Herodsfoot Mine
Galena
UK
England, Cornwall, St Agnes District, Perranzabuloe, Wheal Hope
Galena
UK
England, Cumbria, North and Western Region, North Pennines, Alston Moor District
Galena
UK
England, Cumbria, North and Western Region, North Pennines, Alston Moor District, Nenthead, Smallcleugh Mine
Galena from here is associated with sphalerite, fluorite ankerite. Galena (cubo-octahedral crystals to 2.5cm) are found on ankerite.
Galena
UK
England, Derbyshire
Some 2000 named veins contained galena. 4 to 6 million tonnes of galena ore are estimated to have been mined (primarily in the 19th century, but dating back to Roman times). Cubo-octahedrons to 5cm. Was found primarily as veins in Carboniferous limestones in Mississippi Valley Type deposits. Also from Derbyshire came epiaxial growths of fluorite on galena.
Galena
UK
England, South Gloucestershire, Chipping Sodbury District, Hampstead Farm Quarry
Galena
UK
Scotland, Strathclyde, South Lanarkshire, Leadhills
Veins of quartz and ankerite with calcite, aragonite, barite and galena in sedimentary rocks.
Galena
UK
Wales, Powys (Radnorshire), Rhayader
Galena
USA
Illinois, Hardin Co., Illinois - Kentucky Fluorspar District, Cave-in-Rock Sub-District, Cave-in-Rock
The district mines were first opened for their lead content, but when a market for fluorite developed, galena just became a mineral that was secondarily recovered.
Galena
USA
Illinois, Hardin Co., Illinois - Kentucky Fluorspar District, Harris Creek Sub-District, Goose Creek Mine Group, Denton mine
Galena
USA
Illinois, Jo Daviess Co., Galena District, Galena
Deposits in the area were worked by the French in the latter part of the 17th century. American settlers started moving in by the 1820's with most major areas being discovered by the 1840's. Lead production declined with the start of zinc mining in the 1860's the lead was a byproduct. Total lead produced was 72,000 tons and zinc with 846,000 tons. The only remaining mines are some tourist operations. The main ore bodies are in Ordovician rocks, but other age rocks contain subeconomic quantities of the minerals.
The crystal habit of galena changes from cubes to cubo-octahedrons to octahedrons as you go from early to late in the ore deposition process. Oxidation of the ore only led to minor surface alterations to anglesite and cerussite.
Galena
USA
Kansas, Cherokee Co., Tri-State District, Picher Field, Baxter Springs
The Tri-State district was apparently found in 1838, although the first major discovery was made in 1848. It produced $2 billion dollars worth of lead (3.7 million tons of concentrate) and zinc (22 million tons of concentrate) from 1880 to 1955. The ores are hosted in breccias of a Mississippian limestone that contains abundant chert. The ore deposits occur within an area of 100 by 30 miles.
Galena crystals occur to 25cm with cubes and octahedrons on a matrix of cream to pink saddle shaped dolomite crystals. The district also produced world class sphalerite and calcite crystals. Most of the mines were interconnected and it was possible to travel between the states of Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma without ever seeing the surface. The mineral dealer most associated with the district was "Boodle" Lane, who was active from the 1920's to the early 1960's. He saved many tons of fine specimens from the smelters. He would sell 200 pound "oil drum" lots at 50 cents a pound. The mines were allowed to flood about 1972. One of my favorite specimens at the Smithsonian are a couple of galena cubes (~5cm) from the Fisher mine. On each corner there are perched 1 cm cubes.
Galena
USA
Kansas, Cherokee Co., Tri-State District, Picher Field, Galena
Galena
USA
Kansas, Cherokee Co., Tri-State District, Picher Field, Treece, Mid Continent Mine
Galena
USA
Missouri, Crawford Co., Viburnum No. 27 mine
Galena
USA
Missouri, Iron Co., Viburnum Trend District, Bixby, Buick Mine
Galena
USA
Missouri, Jasper Co., Tri-State District, Joplin Field
Galena
USA
Missouri, Reynolds Co., Viburnum Trend District, Ellington, Sweetwater Mine
Galena cubes occur to 30cm. on a limestone or chalcopyrite matrix. One large cube was found in 1971 that weighed a 1000kg (it was reduced to ore).
Galena
USA
New Mexico, Socorro Co., Hansonburg District, Bingham, Blanchard Mine
Galena crystals from here are often pseudomorphed by anglesite or cerussite.
Galena
USA
New York, St Lawrence Co., Rossie
Mining began in 1834 and the mining was finished in about 1840 (over 1625 tons of lead) with only desultory operations thereafter. The main ore bodies were on 4 nearly vertical calcite-galena veins which cut Precambrian Grenville-series crystalline rocks. The veins varied in width from a few cm's to a meter, but averaged 2 feet in width in the mines.
Galena
USA
Tennessee, Smith Co., Central Tennessee Ba-F-Pb-Zn District, Carthage, Elmwood mine
Simple cubes were extremely rare, most galena specimens showed numerous offset crystals. Galena specimens from Elmwood are among the rarer specimens recovered from the mine.
Click here to view Best Minerals G and here for Best Minerals A to Z and here for Fast Navigation of completed Best Minerals articles.
Edited 32 time(s). Last edit at 12/23/2012 11:04AM by Rudolf Hasler.
Can you help make this a better article? What good localities have we missed? Can you supply pictures of better specimens than those we show here? Can you give us more and better information about the specimens from these localities? Can you supply better geological or historical information on these localities?
Galena
PbS Cubic
Galena is the most important ore of lead, is often associated with silver minerals, and has been mined for at least 2000 years. It is found in hydrothermal veins and Mississippi Valley type deposits (MVT). Galena is a rare mineral in some granitic pegmatites. It is also found in the contact metamorphic skarn deposits. Most specimens are collected in active mines since it is an ore mineral and the good cubic cleavage makes recovering undamaged crystals from waste rock piles difficult.
The common crystal forms are the cube, octahedron and dodecahedron. About another 40 different forms are rarely encountered. Twinning is most common on {111} - spinel twins, which tend to form large platy crystals. Skeletal and hopper crystals are rare as are etched crystals. Crystals less than 5cm are commonly available from many localities.
Galena is an opaque mineral that comes in a blue gray color. The crystal faces can be shiny or dull (there may be some surface oxidation to anglesite or cerussite). Some of these altered crystals have an attractive white coating of alteration products. Rarely, you can get an iridescent coating on the crystals.
Galena
Austria
Carinthia, Gailtaler Alpen & Karnische Alpen Mts, Bleiberg District
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| Galena on Barite 5cm wide | © Peter Haas |
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| Galena, Sphalerite 10cm wide | © Rudo |
Galena and sphalerite were deposited in the karstic Wetterstein limestone, similar to the Mississippi Valley type ores. Although lead mining started more than 2000 years ago, the first written record about lead mining dates to 1333 and the last mine closed in 1993. Common associated minerals are baryte, gypsum, anhydrite, fluorite, dolomite and calcite. Galena forms octahedral crystals to 4cm (commonly 1cm)
Galena
Belgium
Liège Province, Verviers, Plombières-Vieille Montagne District, Kelmis, Moresnet, Schmalgraf Mine
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| Skeletal galena (gestrickter Bleiglanz) FOV 3cm wide | © C.H.M.-Schäfer |
Galena is found either in mesothermal veins (0.5 to 2km long and up to 10m wide) and skarn deposits. Mining began in the Roman period, but greater exploitation dates from the Turkish period. Mining is still being carried out in a number of areas. Common associates include sphalerite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, albandite, tetrahedrite with a gangue of quartz, manganocalcite and rhodochrosite. Galena is commonly formed as cubes or octahedrons up to 20cm in size. Epitaxial growths, etch figures and spinel twins are frequently observed.
Galena
Bulgaria
Plovdiv Oblast, Rhodope Mts, Djurkovo Complex, Droujba (Drujba) Mine
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| "Hoppered" Galena xls to 1cm with Quartz | © Edwards Minerals |
Galena
Bulgaria
Smolyan Oblast, Rhodope Mts, Madan ore field, Angel Yanakiev Mine, Karaaliev dol deposit
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| Galena 45cm wide | © Anton Ivanov |
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| Galena & Chalcopyrite 6.9cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Galena
Bulgaria
Smolyan Oblast, Rhodope Mts, Madan ore field, Krushev dol mine, Krushev dol deposit
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| Galena & Quartz 2.9cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Galena
Bulgaria
Smolyan Oblast, Rhodope Mts, Madan ore field, Septemvri mine
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| Galena 9cm wide | © Anton Ivanov |
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| Galena 7cm wide | © fabreminerals.com |
Galena
Canada
Nunavut Territory, Little Cornwallis Island, Polaris Mine (Arvik Mine)
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| Galena 7.8cm wide | © D.K.Joyce |
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| Galena on Sphalerite 3.4cm wide | © Cindy Hasler |
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| Galena ~6cm wide | © C. Stefano '09 |
The Polaris mine was discovered in 1972 and was the most noretherly metal mine. Production was between 1981 and 2002 with 20 million tons of 17% ore. The ores are considered to ba a Mississippi Valley type and are found in a dolomite between 60 and 300 meters in depth. Galena cubes to 6cm were found, although a lot of the ore is scalenblende.
We need some photos of good specimens!
Galena
Canada
Ontario, Wentworth Co., Hamilton, Dundas, Lafarge Dundas North Quarry
Galena
Czech Republic
Bohemia, Central Bohemia Region, Příbram, Březové Hory (Birkenberg)
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| 3cm Radial hemisphere of Galena | © Jakub Jirásek |
Galena
Germany
North Rhine-Westphalia, Aachen, Eschweiler, Hastenrath, Meyer Quarry
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| Galena 8cm wide | © Harjo |
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| Galena on Aragonite 15cm wide | © Harjo |
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| Galena | © Harjo |
In 2007 a couple of huge pockets lined with Galena crystals up to 3 cm were found by a couple of German and Dutch collectors. The specimens became instant classics, they go for a fair amount of Euros these day and they drew a lot of attention during that year's Mineralientagen in Munich. From the main pocket came plates of mainly octahedral Galena modified by the cube, in another pocket some plates were still attached to the underlying Aragonite. Specimens up to 20 cm wide were found, some of them had mirror-like lustre whereas other ones were etched or had a layer of Anglesite on them. Accompanying minerals were Sphalerite, Aragonite, Calcite, Dolomite, Smithsonite, Malachite, Rosasite, Pyrite, Marcasite, Anglesite and Cerussite.
Galena
Germany
North Rhine-Westphalia, Bad Laasphe, Fischelbach, Gonderbach Mine
Perfect, isolated tabular twins to 3 cm across. They were named "Gonderbach slabs" (Gonderbacher Platten) for this locality.
We need photos!!
Galena
Germany
North Rhine-Westphalia, Eifel Mts, Mechernich, Mechernicher Bleiberg
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| Galena on Quartz FOV 2cm wide | © Peter Haas |
Galena
Germany
North Rhine-Westphalia, Niederberg area, Wülfrath, Rohdenhaus, Rohdenhaus Quarry
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| Galena @ Cerussite FOV 4mm wide | © Thieme |
Also known are pseudomorphs of 1cm calcite scalenohedra from Grube Friedrichssegen (near Koblenz).
Galena
Germany
North Rhine-Westphalia, Siegerland, Neunkirchen, Salchendorf, Pfannenberger Einigkeit Mine
Gonderbach twins to 5 cm across, also perfect spinel twins.
We need photos!!
Galena
Germany
Rhineland-Palatinate, Siegerland, Herdorf
Galena
Germany
North Rhine-Westphalia, Siegerland, Wilnsdorf, Niederdielfen, Grimberg Mine
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| Galena 3.4cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Galena
Germany
Rhineland-Palatinate, Hunsrück Mts, Bernkastel-Kues, Kautenbach Mine
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| Galena @ Pyromorphite ~5cm wide | © |
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| Galena @ Pyromorphite 7cm wide | © Kristalle and Crys |
Galena
Germany
Saxony, Erzgebirge, Freiberg District, Freiberg
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| Galena var."Ringel-erz Formation" 6cm | © Simone Citon |
Most of the mines in the Freiberg District produced fine groups of octahedral galena (2cm). Most sought after by collectors are specimens of galena crystals on honey-yellow fluorite from Beihilfe Mine (pictures!!!). Galena is often associated with fluorite, pyrite/marcasite, sphalerite and, occasionally, with sulphosalts. Gonderbach twins have also been found along with skeletal crystals in barite.
Galena
Germany
Saxony-Anhalt, Harz Mts, Harzgerode, Neudorf
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| Galena with Siderite & Calcite 7 cm | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Galena on Quartz 5cm tall | © |
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| Galena on Siderite ~9cm wide | © |
Neudorf is famous for the fine galena and bournonite specimens that were recovered from the Meiseberg and Pfaffenberg mines during their active working period. The galena crystals, typically showing combinations of cubic, octahedral and dodecahedral faces - the so-called Neudorf habit - did reach impressing sizes of up to 12 cm along the edges.
Galena
Ireland
Co. Tipperary, Silvermines District
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| Galena 5.7cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Galena on Pyrite 3.2cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Galena & minor Pyrite 4.3cm | © Rob Lavinsky |
160Mt of lead/zinc ore. Similar to Mississippi Valley Type deposits but with a synsedimentary component and much higher deposion temperatures in limestones and dolomites. Mining started in the Middle Ages, but the mine is known to the mineral community for the discovery of a large vug (3 meters long, 1 meter high and 2 meters wide) in 1978 collected by Richard Barstow. This vug produced specimens of galena, honey-yellow sphalerite and pyrite. Galena occurred as mirror-bright cuboctahedral crystals up to 2.5 cm across. The primary minerals include sphalerite, galena, pyrite, barite and siderite. The mines are currently flooded.
Galena
Italy
Piedmont, Torino Province, Canavese District, Chiusella Valley, Traversella, Traversella Mine
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| 6mm prismatic Galena xls on Dolomite | © G. Fraccaro |
Galena
Italy
Sardinia, Carbonia-Iglesias Province, Iglesias, Punta della Torre, San Giovanni Mine
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| 3mm "hoppered" Galena crystal | © Marco Barsanti |
Galena
Italy
Sardinia, Medio Campidano Province, Arbus, Montevecchio Mines
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| Galena FOV ~1cm | © D: Preite |
Galena
Italy
Tuscany, Lucca Province, Apuan Alps, Stazzema, Bottino Mine
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| 3mm Galena twin | © Marco Barsanti |
Galena
Japan
Honshu Island, Chubu Region, Niigata Prefecture, Shiraita mine
Much larger galena crystals are known from this area, for example cuboctahedrons up to 10cm from the Daira mine. A museum in Japan has a distorted cube about 12cm in size from the Ani mine. The mines are all closed and no more sulphides are coming out.
Galena
Mexico
Chihuahua, Mun. de Aquiles Serdán, Santa Eulalia District, West Camp, Francisco Portillo, La Purísima Mine
 | |
| Galina altering to Anglesite 5.8cm | © Rob Lavinsky |
Galena
Peru
Lima Department, Huarochiri Province, Casapalca
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| Galena 14.5cm tall | © Dan Weinrich |
Galena altered to Anglesite
Poland
Upper Silesia (Śląskie), Rybnik Coal Basin, Rybnik, Ignacy-Hoym coal mine
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| Anglesite @ Galena with Sulfur FOV 1.7cm | © Peter Haas |
Galena
Russia
Far-Eastern Region, Primorskiy Kray, Dal'negorsk
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| Galena 5cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Galena 8cm wide | © 2001 John H. Betts |
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| Galena & Quartz 10cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
The mineral deposits in the Dal'negorsk area were probably known in the 12th or 13th centuries, but exploitation of the deposits started about 1900. The deposits are located in hedenbergite skarns. The deposits have produced a number of other world class specimens including calcite, fluorite, pyrrhotite, and quartz. Galena crystals usually are cubo-octahedral crystals, but cubes and octahedrons are known (usually less than 4cm), which sometimes display growth steps. Spinel twins are relatively common (and are sometimes epitaxial on sphalerite and pyrrhotite). Mosaic, skeletal and lattice specimens can be up to 30cm in size.
Galena
Russia
Far-Eastern Region, Primorskiy Kray, Dal'negorsk, Nikolaevskoe Pb-Zn-Ag deposit, Nikolaevskiy Mine
 | |
| Galena & Calcite 7.4cm | © fabreminerals |
Galena
Spain
Basque Country, Guipúzcoa, Beasaín, Mutiloa, Troya Mine
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| Galena, Siderite, Quartz & Dolomite 4.8cm | © fabreminerals |
Galena
Sweden
Lappland, Arjeplog, Nasafjäll silver mine
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| Galena 3cm wide | © Jorge M. Alves |
The Nasafjäll Silver mine is a hydrothermal Pb/Zn/As deposit with some Sb and Ag. The metal deposit lies in quartz lenses and gangues between the precambrian basement granite and metamorphic schists from the caledonian orogeny. The ore was discovered in the 1620-ties and has been worked in three periods; The first period from 1635- 1659, the second from 1770 to 1810 and finally some test production in the 1850-ties. Due to the harsh climate, remote location and limited ore resources the operations has never been profitable. Good records on the annual production figures ( swedish text) can be obtained from the Swedish Geological Survey (SGU).
Galena occurs in gangues and lenses within the quartz, and lenses up to and exceeding 10 cm can be found even today. I guess there will never be a lot of good material from here on the market, the location is still too remote ( 2-2 1/2 hour hike one way) and harsh ( Altitude 1000m above sea level at the artic circle) to justify any operations, whether for specimens or ore. It is a beautiful landscape though.
Galena
Switzerland
Wallis, Binn Valley, Im Feld, Lengenbach Quarry
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| Galena FOV 3mm wide | © Stephan Wolfsried |
Galena
UK
The best Cornish galenas came from Chiverton Mine. Matlock produced fine octahedrons, often associated with calcite. Penines are Mississippi Valley Type ores. Mining for lead dates from the Roman times.
Galena
UK
England, Co. Durham, North Pennines, Weardale, Ireshopeburn, Blackdene Mine
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| Galena, Fluorite & Calcite 4.3cm | © Peter Haas |
The Blackdene has produced the finest British specimens. Loose floater groups of cubic or cubo-octahedral crystals up to 20cm on edge were found. Specimens also have associated fluorite and calcite.
Galena
UK
England, Co. Durham, North Pennines, Weardale, Rookhope District, Boltsburn Mine
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| Galena & Siderite 5cm wide | © 2007, Jesse Fisher |
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| Galena & Siderit ~7cm tall | © |
Galena
UK
England, Cornwall, Camborne - Redruth - St Day District, Gwennap area, Baldhu, Wheal Jane
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| Galena 7cm wide | © Peter Haas |
Galena
UK
England, Cornwall, Liskeard District, Menheniot Area, Lanreath, Herodsfoot Mine
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| 1.5mm Galena crystal | © Steve Rust |
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| Galena & Quartz ~7.5cm wide | © |
Galena
UK
England, Cornwall, St Agnes District, Perranzabuloe, Wheal Hope
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| Galena @ after Pyromorphite 10.5cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Galena @ Pyromorphite ~8cm | © |
Galena
UK
England, Cumbria, North and Western Region, North Pennines, Alston Moor District
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| Galena on Quartz 9.3cm wide | © fabreminerals |
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| Galena & Fluorite ~7.5cm tall | © |
Galena
UK
England, Cumbria, North and Western Region, North Pennines, Alston Moor District, Nenthead, Smallcleugh Mine
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| 1cm Galena crystals | © Don Rust |
Galena from here is associated with sphalerite, fluorite ankerite. Galena (cubo-octahedral crystals to 2.5cm) are found on ankerite.
Galena
UK
England, Derbyshire
Some 2000 named veins contained galena. 4 to 6 million tonnes of galena ore are estimated to have been mined (primarily in the 19th century, but dating back to Roman times). Cubo-octahedrons to 5cm. Was found primarily as veins in Carboniferous limestones in Mississippi Valley Type deposits. Also from Derbyshire came epiaxial growths of fluorite on galena.
Galena
UK
England, South Gloucestershire, Chipping Sodbury District, Hampstead Farm Quarry
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| Galena, Calcite & Barite FOV 3cm? | © Steve Rust |
Galena
UK
Scotland, Strathclyde, South Lanarkshire, Leadhills
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| Galena 7.5cm wide | © J.Ralph 2009 |
Veins of quartz and ankerite with calcite, aragonite, barite and galena in sedimentary rocks.
Galena
UK
Wales, Powys (Radnorshire), Rhayader
Galena
USA
Illinois, Hardin Co., Illinois - Kentucky Fluorspar District, Cave-in-Rock Sub-District, Cave-in-Rock
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| Galena 7.2cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
The district mines were first opened for their lead content, but when a market for fluorite developed, galena just became a mineral that was secondarily recovered.
Galena
USA
Illinois, Hardin Co., Illinois - Kentucky Fluorspar District, Harris Creek Sub-District, Goose Creek Mine Group, Denton mine
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| Galena & Fluorite 8cm cm wide | © 2008 Jesse Fisher |
Galena
USA
Illinois, Jo Daviess Co., Galena District, Galena
Deposits in the area were worked by the French in the latter part of the 17th century. American settlers started moving in by the 1820's with most major areas being discovered by the 1840's. Lead production declined with the start of zinc mining in the 1860's the lead was a byproduct. Total lead produced was 72,000 tons and zinc with 846,000 tons. The only remaining mines are some tourist operations. The main ore bodies are in Ordovician rocks, but other age rocks contain subeconomic quantities of the minerals.
The crystal habit of galena changes from cubes to cubo-octahedrons to octahedrons as you go from early to late in the ore deposition process. Oxidation of the ore only led to minor surface alterations to anglesite and cerussite.
Galena
USA
Kansas, Cherokee Co., Tri-State District, Picher Field, Baxter Springs
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| Galena 11cm wide | © 2002 John H. Betts |
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| Galena 6.6cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
The Tri-State district was apparently found in 1838, although the first major discovery was made in 1848. It produced $2 billion dollars worth of lead (3.7 million tons of concentrate) and zinc (22 million tons of concentrate) from 1880 to 1955. The ores are hosted in breccias of a Mississippian limestone that contains abundant chert. The ore deposits occur within an area of 100 by 30 miles.
Galena crystals occur to 25cm with cubes and octahedrons on a matrix of cream to pink saddle shaped dolomite crystals. The district also produced world class sphalerite and calcite crystals. Most of the mines were interconnected and it was possible to travel between the states of Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma without ever seeing the surface. The mineral dealer most associated with the district was "Boodle" Lane, who was active from the 1920's to the early 1960's. He saved many tons of fine specimens from the smelters. He would sell 200 pound "oil drum" lots at 50 cents a pound. The mines were allowed to flood about 1972. One of my favorite specimens at the Smithsonian are a couple of galena cubes (~5cm) from the Fisher mine. On each corner there are perched 1 cm cubes.
Galena
USA
Kansas, Cherokee Co., Tri-State District, Picher Field, Galena
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| Galena & Sphalerite 12cm wide | © 2002 John H. Betts |
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| Galena 3.3cm wide | © 2002 John H. Betts |
Galena
USA
Kansas, Cherokee Co., Tri-State District, Picher Field, Treece, Mid Continent Mine
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| Galena & Calcite 6.1cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Galena 2.9cm wide | © 2002 John H. Betts |
Galena
USA
Missouri, Crawford Co., Viburnum No. 27 mine
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| Galena on Pyrite 4.7cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Galena
USA
Missouri, Iron Co., Viburnum Trend District, Bixby, Buick Mine
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| Galena spinel twins 5.3cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Galena 9cm wide | © 2001 John H. Betts |
Galena
USA
Missouri, Jasper Co., Tri-State District, Joplin Field
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| Galena 7cm wide | © 2002 John H. Betts |
Galena
USA
Missouri, Reynolds Co., Viburnum Trend District, Ellington, Sweetwater Mine
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| Galena 5cm wide | © 2001 John H. Betts |
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| Galena 9cm wide | © 2001 John H. Betts |
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| Galena 4.3cm tall | © Rob Lavinsky |
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| Galena 1.6cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Galena cubes occur to 30cm. on a limestone or chalcopyrite matrix. One large cube was found in 1971 that weighed a 1000kg (it was reduced to ore).
Galena
USA
New Mexico, Socorro Co., Hansonburg District, Bingham, Blanchard Mine
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| Galena to Anglesite & Linarite 4.5cm | © Collectors Edge |
Galena crystals from here are often pseudomorphed by anglesite or cerussite.
Galena
USA
New York, St Lawrence Co., Rossie
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| Galena ~20cm wide | © |
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| Galena ~11cm wied | © |
Mining began in 1834 and the mining was finished in about 1840 (over 1625 tons of lead) with only desultory operations thereafter. The main ore bodies were on 4 nearly vertical calcite-galena veins which cut Precambrian Grenville-series crystalline rocks. The veins varied in width from a few cm's to a meter, but averaged 2 feet in width in the mines.
Galena
USA
Tennessee, Smith Co., Central Tennessee Ba-F-Pb-Zn District, Carthage, Elmwood mine
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| Galena 5.6cm wide | © Rob Lavinsky |
Simple cubes were extremely rare, most galena specimens showed numerous offset crystals. Galena specimens from Elmwood are among the rarer specimens recovered from the mine.
Click here to view Best Minerals G and here for Best Minerals A to Z and here for Fast Navigation of completed Best Minerals articles.
Edited 32 time(s). Last edit at 12/23/2012 11:04AM by Rudolf Hasler.
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Re: Galena June 13, 2009 04:08PM |
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Re: Galena June 13, 2009 04:35PM |
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Re: Galena June 13, 2009 05:22PM |
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Mogul Mine.... June 13, 2009 06:30PM |
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Re: Galena June 13, 2009 06:44PM |
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Nasafjäll silver mine, Arjeplog, Lappland, Sweden
The Nasafjäll Silver mine is a hydrothermal Pb/Zn/As deposit with some Sb and Ag. The metal deposit lies in quartz lenses and gangues between the precambrian basement granite and metamorphic schists from the caledonian orogeny.
The ore was discovered in the 1620-ties and has been worked in three periods; The first period from 1635- 1659, the second from 1770 to 1810 and finally some test production in the 1850-ties. Due to the harsh climate, remote location and limited ore resources the operations has never been profitable. Good records on the annual production figures ( swedish text) can be obtained from the Swedish Geological Survey (SGU).
Galena occurs in gangues and lenses within the quartz, and lenses up to and exceeding 10 cm can be found even today.
I guess there will never be a lot of good material from here on the market, the location is still too remote ( 2-2 1/2 hour hike one way) and harsh ( Altitude 1000m above sea level at the artic circle) to justify any operations, whether for specimens or ore. It is a beautiful landscape though.
The Nasafjäll Silver mine is a hydrothermal Pb/Zn/As deposit with some Sb and Ag. The metal deposit lies in quartz lenses and gangues between the precambrian basement granite and metamorphic schists from the caledonian orogeny.
The ore was discovered in the 1620-ties and has been worked in three periods; The first period from 1635- 1659, the second from 1770 to 1810 and finally some test production in the 1850-ties. Due to the harsh climate, remote location and limited ore resources the operations has never been profitable. Good records on the annual production figures ( swedish text) can be obtained from the Swedish Geological Survey (SGU).
Galena occurs in gangues and lenses within the quartz, and lenses up to and exceeding 10 cm can be found even today.
I guess there will never be a lot of good material from here on the market, the location is still too remote ( 2-2 1/2 hour hike one way) and harsh ( Altitude 1000m above sea level at the artic circle) to justify any operations, whether for specimens or ore. It is a beautiful landscape though.
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Re: Galena June 13, 2009 07:13PM |
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Re: Galena June 13, 2009 07:27PM |
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Re: Galena June 13, 2009 07:38PM |
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Re: Galena June 13, 2009 07:47PM |
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Re: Galena June 13, 2009 07:55PM |
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Re: Galena June 13, 2009 08:58PM |
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Re: Galena June 13, 2009 09:50PM |
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David, two years ago a major Galena discovery was made in Mayer quarry, Hastenrath, Germany.
A couple of huge pockets lined with galena crystals were found by a couple of German and Dutch collectors.
The specimens became instant classics, they go for a fair amount of Euros these day.
From the main pocket came plates of mainly octahedral modified by the cube, in another pocket some plates were still attached to the underlying Aragonite.
I was happy to find a couple of good ones myself
There is an article about the find in Mineralien Welt.
Galena
Germany
North Rhine-Westphalia, Aachen, Eschweiler, Hastenrath, Meyer Quarry
In 2007 a couple of huge pockets lined with Galena crystals up to 3 cm were found by a couple of German and Dutch collectors.
The specimens became instant classics, they go for a fair amount of Euros these day and they drew a lot of attention during that year's Mineralientagen in Munich.
From the main pocket came plates of mainly octahedral Galena modified by the cube, in another pocket some plates were still attached to the underlying Aragonite. Specimens up to 20 cm wide were found, some of them had mirror-like lustre whereas other ones were etched or had a layer of Anglesite on them. Accompanying minerals were Sphalerite, Aragonite, Calcite, Dolomite, Smithsonite, Malachite, Rosasite, Pyrite, Marcasite, Anglesite and Cerussite.
Cheers
Harjo
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 03/13/2011 10:53AM by Rock Currier.
A couple of huge pockets lined with galena crystals were found by a couple of German and Dutch collectors.
The specimens became instant classics, they go for a fair amount of Euros these day.
From the main pocket came plates of mainly octahedral modified by the cube, in another pocket some plates were still attached to the underlying Aragonite.
I was happy to find a couple of good ones myself
There is an article about the find in Mineralien Welt.
Galena
Germany
North Rhine-Westphalia, Aachen, Eschweiler, Hastenrath, Meyer Quarry
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| Galena 8x7,5cm | © Harjo |
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| Galena, Aragonite 8x15cm | © Harjo |
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| Galena | © Harjo |
In 2007 a couple of huge pockets lined with Galena crystals up to 3 cm were found by a couple of German and Dutch collectors.
The specimens became instant classics, they go for a fair amount of Euros these day and they drew a lot of attention during that year's Mineralientagen in Munich.
From the main pocket came plates of mainly octahedral Galena modified by the cube, in another pocket some plates were still attached to the underlying Aragonite. Specimens up to 20 cm wide were found, some of them had mirror-like lustre whereas other ones were etched or had a layer of Anglesite on them. Accompanying minerals were Sphalerite, Aragonite, Calcite, Dolomite, Smithsonite, Malachite, Rosasite, Pyrite, Marcasite, Anglesite and Cerussite.
Cheers
Harjo
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 03/13/2011 10:53AM by Rock Currier.
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Re: Galena June 14, 2009 05:21AM |
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Re: Galena June 14, 2009 09:29PM |
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Re: Galena June 14, 2009 09:41PM |
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Re: Galena June 15, 2009 01:00PM |
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Re: Galena June 15, 2009 03:28PM |
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Re: Galena June 15, 2009 03:40PM |
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Locality Updated: Cazadero river, Ovalle, Limarí Province, Coquimbo Region, ChileFrom David Von Bargen, 19th Jun 2013 18:19:30