Galena is the principal ore of lead and the heaviest of common collector-class sulfides. Brilliant silver-gray cubes with mirror-bright cleavage faces define the species visually. Chinese galena from Daye, Hubei and Gejiu, Yunnan combines with sphalerite, calcite, and quartz in classic three-species matrix specimens.
Key Facts
- Mohs hardness 2.5 – softer than a fingernail. Easy to scratch.
- Specific gravity 7.4 – extraordinarily heavy; diagnostic in hand.
- Perfect cubic cleavage breaks into clean cube fragments.
- Tarnishes from bright silver to dull lead-gray over years.
- Lead is heavy and toxic – wash hands after handling.
The Chinese Angle
Daye District in Hubei and Gejiu Mine in Yunnan produce major collector galena. Daye galena often shows cubo-octahedral combinations with calcite and pyrite, while Gejiu galena tends toward octahedral habit and frequently associates with sphalerite, calcite scalenohedra, and rare supergene phosphates. Both districts are workhorse industrial sources turned premier specimen producers.
Found at these Localities
- Oumjrane Mining Area (奥姆贾兰矿区)
- Mibladen Mining District (米布拉登铅矿区)
- Imiter Mine (伊米泰尔银矿)
- Tri-State Mining District (Joplin) (三州矿区(乔普林))
- Naica Mine, Chihuahua (纳伊卡矿(奇瓦瓦州))
- Příbram (普日布拉姆银矿)
- Broken Hill (布罗肯希尔铅锌银矿)
- Sweet Home Mine (甜蜜之家矿)
- Heqing Cu-Ag-Pb-Zn District (鹤庆铜银铅锌矿区)
- Ying Silver Mine (银矿(豫西银多金属矿带))
- Lanping Pb-Zn-Cu Field (兰坪铅锌铜矿田)
- Daye District (大冶)
- Gejiu Mine (个旧锡矿)
- Hubei (湖北)
- Yunnan (云南)
