TRUNCATED GALENA CRYSTALS

TRUNCATED GALENA CRYSTALS

TRUNCATED GALENA CRYSTALS showing great cubic shape.  This specimen features superb, cubic formations of Galena on a silvery matrix.  Galena is a major ore of Lead and Silver.  Excellent location.

Location:
Borieva Mine, Madan, Bulgaria.

Dimensions:
4.3cm x 4.3cm x 2.9cm, 137g.

PbS, Lead Sulfide.

Named by Pliny the Elder in 77-79 from the Greek “galene” meaning lead ore.

Galena is a common and popular mineral for rock hounds.  Its characteristic cubes, distinctive cleavage and high density make it easy to identify and a favorite in high school geology labs.  The structure of Galena is identical to that of halite, NaCl.  The two minerals have the same crystal shapes, symmetry and cleavage.  Some Galena may contain up to 20% silver in place of lead.  The large volume of Galena that is processed for lead produces enough Silver as a by product to make Galena the leading ore of Silver.

One of the first transistors was a Galena Crystal and with a copper wire called  “cats-whisker-with crystal”.  Galena is a natural semiconductor.  Really it formed part of a transistor, a more reliable PN junction or Diode.  Metal Sulfides were experimented with in the late 1800s and early 1900s as they form natural PN Junctions like copper and copper oxide (Verde or Patina) which also formed one of the first solar panels.  Such an interesting subject I could on on about it.

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