Entry № 153
Galena
Lead Sulfide
The heaviest mineral most collectors ever hold.
Chakra
Root
Element
Earth
Zodiac
Capricorn
I. The Metaphysical Reading
How the stone has been held.
Galena is worked with as a stone of grounding weight, kept in the studio during shadow work and the practice of accepting what is heavy. Because of its lead content it is handled with clean hands and never soaked or ingested; practitioners hold it as a reminder that the deepest work is done with care.
- Chakra
- Root
- Element
- Earth
- Zodiac
- Capricorn
- Keynote
- The heaviest mineral most collectors ever hold.
II. The Scientific Reading
What the lattice actually does.
Galena is the principal ore of lead and the most abundant lead-bearing mineral, crystallising in the cubic system with three perfect cleavage planes at right angles that give its characteristic stepped fracture. Its very high density (7.4 – 7.6 g/cm³) reflects the atomic mass of lead. Argentiferous galena is also a major source of silver.
- Formula
- PbS
- System
- Cubic
- Hardness
- 2.5 (Mohs)
- Provenance
- USA (Missouri Tri-State), UK (Cumbria, Derbyshire), Germany (Harz), Bulgaria, Peru
References & Sources
Independent mineralogical references used to verify the scientific details above.
Mineral Profile
Fact Sheet
- Chemical Formula
- PbS
- Crystal System
- Cubic
- Mohs Hardness
- 2.5 (Mohs)
- Density
- 7.4 – 7.6 g/cm³
- Refractive Index
- Opaque (metallic)
- Provenance
- USA (Missouri Tri-State), UK (Cumbria, Derbyshire), Germany (Harz), Bulgaria, Peru
- Color Origin
- Bright silver-grey metallic luster with perfect cubic cleavage
Related Crystals
Stones that share this lattice
Next in the Atlas
Garnet
A red dodecahedron that grew inside a hot rock.
