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Galena




Galena is a Lead Ore . This article describes Galena's mineral properties. In its Chemically purified form, galena is known as Lead Sulfide ; refer to that article for chemical and industrial uses.

Galena is one of the most abundant and widely distributed sulfide minerals, and is the most common ore of Lead . Crystals are usually cubic, sometimes Octahedral . It is often associated with the minerals Sphalerite and Fluorite . Galena deposits sometimes contain significant amounts of Silver as an impurity, and these galenas have long been the most important ore of silver in Mining .

Galena deposits are found in Germany , France , Romania , Austria , Belgium , Italy , Spain , Scotland , England , Australia , and Mexico . In the United States it occurs in Missouri , Illinois , Iowa , Kansas , Oklahoma , Colorado , Idaho , Utah , Montana , and Wisconsin .
Galena is the Official State Mineral of Missouri and Wisconsin , USA . Galena also occurs at Mount Hermon in Northern Israel . In ancient Israel it was used to colour eyes blue.


USES

Galena was once used as a Semiconductor (i.e. the crystal) in Crystal Radio Sets ; combined with a safety pin or similar sharp wire (known as a "cat's whisker"), the galena crystal became part of a point-contact Diode used to detect radio signals.


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