Galena Primary Ore of Lead
Particularly eye-catching and also a surprisingly heavy mineral partly covered on one side with a layer of calcite crystals.
Galena which often occurs with the mineral calcite is the primary ore of lead and a compound of lead and sulphur. Due to the amount of lead present even the smallest piece can be heavy. It's an important source of silver and galena from certain localities is known to contain as much as 2% pure silver.
Exhibiting a bright metallic lustre it's prone to tarnish so we recommend it be kept in a cabinet. The galena can be wiped occasionally with a soft lint free cloth.
Galena like silver is a soft metal which grades just 2.5 on Mohs scale of mineral hardness. It's also brittle so must be handled carefully.
Despite being an ore of lead handling clean galena poses no risk at all. Lead cannot be absorbed through the skin. Galena would be hazardous if ingested so even though this piece is clean gives off no dust, it's still good practice to wash your hands after handling it.
In Ancient Egypt galena was used to protect the eyes from the sun as well as to repel flies. It was also mixed with other ingredients to make a cosmetic known as kohl. Today in crystal healing galena is believed to be beneficial for doctors, homeopaths and herbalists due to its holistic healing properties.
