Guide
Galena specimens for sale
507 for sale · $35–$17,500 USD
1,776 in the gallery
Galena is a lead sulfide mineral known for its metallic luster and high density. It typically forms cubic and sometimes octahedral crystals, often exhibiting a silver-gray to lead-gray color that can darken with tarnish. Clear, well-formed crystals and granular masses are common, and its pale or dark metallic sheen makes it a recognizable specimen among collectors.
- Formula
- PbS
- Rarity
- Common
- Stability
- Stable
- Collector interest
- High Interest
- Classification notes
- Sulfide mineral; lead sulfide (PbS); Strunz 2.CD.
Key characteristics
- Crystal system
- isometric
- Mohs hardness
- 2.5–2.8
- Specific gravity
- 7.4–7.6
- Luster
- metallic
- Transparency
- opaque
- Color
- gray, black
- Streak
- gray, black
- Cleavage
- perfect
- Fracture
- subconchoidal, uneven
- Crystal habit
- cubic, octahedral, tabular, granular, massive
- Classic / historic
Buy Galena specimens
View all 507Where Galena is found
Top localities
- Sweetwater Mine99 specimens
- Naica78 specimens
- Picher Field47 specimens
- Huanzala Mine32 specimens
- Kautenbach Mine30 specimens
- Fletcher Mine29 specimens
- Krushev dol Mine29 specimens
- Broken Hill27 specimens
- Neudorf27 specimens
- Elmwood Mine26 specimens
Guides
All guides
Guide
Galena from Viburnum Trend, Missouri, USA
Galena from Viburnum Trend, Missouri - a world-class MVT district prized for crisp metallic cubes, rich luster, and associations with dolomite and sulfides.Read guide
Guide
Galena from Trepča Stari Trg Mine, Kosovo
Galena from Trepča Stari Trg Mine, Kosovo — star-like crystals on pyrrhotite, rich locality history, and collector-grade associations that set this piece apart.Read guide
Guide
Galena from Naica Mine, Mexico
Naica Mine, Mexico — famed galena from a Pb-Zn-Ag system, with bright metallic cubes and striking associations to calcite, quartz, fluorite, and selenite caves.Read guide
Guide
Galena from Madan Ore Field, Bulgaria
Galena from Madan Ore Field, Bulgaria — architectural cubic and cuboctahedral crystals with mirror-bright luster, prized for 3D form and Rhodope locality.Read guide
Guide
Galena from Joplin Field, USA
Galena from Joplin Field, USA: heavy architectural steel-gray cubes on chert, iconic Tri-State lead-sulfide; historic mining context adds collecting value.Read guideAbout Galena
Notable localities include parts of the United States, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Bulgaria, and Germany, where specimens can range from compact crystals embedded in matrix to sizable, lustrous cubes. Collectors value Galena for its strong crystallography, contrasting dark metal with lighter surroundings, and for the potential to reveal diagnostic crystal forms under proper lighting. It is frequently associated with other sulfides and sulfates in hydrothermal veins and replacement deposits, often yielding aesthetically pleasing matrix pieces when cut or polished for display.
