One of the best known minerals in the world for being the one with the highest lead content is the galena. It has been recognized over many centuries as it is in a well crystallized state and can be found in interesting and different forms. It is a type of primary mineral that was the origin of other minerals such as cerussite, anglesite and lead. These secondary minerals were formed from galena.
In this article we are going to show you all the characteristics, origin and uses of the mineral galena.
Key features
Within the structure of galena we have some impurities such as silver and bismuth that can change the properties of the entire mineral. If we find a type of galena that contains a high concentration of bismuth it may have an octahedral cleavage. When we find silver we can also make it show various slightly bent fragments.
It belongs to the group of sulfides and it has a fairly low hardness on the Mosh scale. As for its color, it has quite striking colors that make it extremely attractive to the human eye. It has shades between metallic gray, intense blue and bright. By having this series of colors its identification is quite fast. For those who are not experienced in the recognition of minerals, it is more normal to be confused, another mineral such as blende. Blende is a mineral high in Iron and has rounded crystals. The main difference with galena is that it is darker, almost black. The density is also lower and it is much harder.
There are other oligistia that can also resemble galena but have a reddish-brown streaking and are not cubic. The galley has a glass shape that makes it look or generally cubic. We can also find it forming a polyhedron with 8 faces and even adhered to each other. If you blow any type of alteration and some sulfate compounds are added, we can see that this mineral is transformed into what we know as anglesite and if we incorporate carbonates it becomes cerussite.
It has an exfoliation taking into account that its surface is flat and is classified as easy to scratch. This depends on the total faces that the terminal has. Galena can occur in granular, leaky, and exfoliating forms. Its chemical formula is PbS.
Origin of galena
The term galena is thought to come from the word "galene" which means lead. This term was used to refer to the amounts of lead that we can find in this mineral. Other research suggests that the Egyptians also used galena for cosmetic purposes. It was applied to the eyes to help protect them from sunlight and dust. It was also used by applying it to the body to repel insects.
The origin of the exploitation of galena as a resource began in Cartagena hundreds of years ago. The galena mines began to be exploited and over the years it has become excavations that have finally served to use this mineral in multiple areas.
We can see galena deposits that, according to geological evaluations, are usually associated with stones with a slight acid regime or granite and pegmatitic stones. They can also be found next to carbonate rock mines. These galena deposits are found in diverse places around the world and special attention has been paid to the extraction of this mineral. Some of the places in this world where the most galena is extracted are: Australia, Peru, Ireland, Czechoslovakia, England and the United States.
In Spain, we find galena deposits in Carolina and Linares. They are deposits where large proportions of Galena are obtained. In the Iberian Peninsula we can also find galena in Ciudad Real, Murcia and Lérida.
Uses and applications of galena
Now we are going to know the reason for the importance of the extraction of this mineral. The Egyptians used it for cosmetics in ancient times, as we have mentioned before. In more modern uses, it can be seen that galena mineral crystals were used to assemble the radios for the first time. This is so since they acted as a rectification element for signals that were captured by the antennas. Later years the diode signal rectification element was modified.
Of the galenas that are extracted in Spain that are argentiferous type lead is extracted that is used to make tubes, sheets and pellets that are used to make protective screens and other radioactive substances.
If we also focus on the spiritual plane, for many people the galena brings harmony and balance in our lives. It is capable of providing help and being able to keep individuals focused on reality and goals. It is said that it serves to open the mind and expand the ideas while maintaining the goal you want to pursue. Let's not forget that staying focused on something you want to achieve for a long time is more difficult than it sounds. Thus, Many people turn to galena necklaces or bracelets as an amulet.
It is also said that if the person wears the galena and usually has negative habits, these habits will remain in the background, allowing the person to have the possibility of changing for the better and creating productive habits that help them prosper.
A curious thing is that there are those who carry the sample of this mineral inside the pockets of their pants or shirts just as it would be an amulet. It is also often placed inside the home and workplaces to always keep in mind the objectives we want to achieve.
As you can see, galena is a mineral that is quite in demand and is known throughout the world with various practical uses. I hope that with this information you can learn more about galena.