LEAD
Specimen lea-3

Dims: 1.5" x 1.5" x 1.2" (3.8 x 3.8 x 3.0 cm)

Wt: 2.49 oz. (70.8 g)

Langban, Sweden

Though it is quite difficult to see due to a substantial coating of massicot, a lead oxide, there are a few small patches of bright, native Lead visible on this specimen, along with what appears to be some massive quartz. What material is visible seems to have a darker color than I was told to expect, but this may have to do with a thin, layer of tarnishing oxide. Close examination shows that there are many small, massicot-encrusted formations on thse specimen that are actually platelets of Lead! Where visible, they have a dull, dark-gray coloration and an equally dull luster. The specimen's density is the key factor- I have only examined a few other specimens that weighed as much as this one and were so small. Its locality is also well-known for producing lead in its elemental form.

Dims: 0.7 x 0.7 x 0.4" (1.9 x 1.9 x 1.0 cm)

Wt: 4 g

Langban, Sweden

This small thumbnail piece consists of a shapeless chunk of native Lead. The lead has an uneven surface that is covered in tiny pits and has a dark gray color and a dull luster. Portions of its surface are dusted with what appears to be massicot, a white lead oxide.

Dims: 0.8 x 0.6 x 0.4" (2.0 x 1.5 x 1.0 cm)

Wt: 5 g

Lalngban, Sweden

A misshapen chunk of native Lead makes up this thumbnail specimen. It shows no evidence of crystal form whatsoever, but is in excellent condition, showing no fresh damage, either. Its surface has a moderate gray color and its luster is completely dull. A few tiny bits of massicot are scattered about its surface, but there is no base or host material present.

Dims: 1.26x1.10x0.75" (3.2x2.8x1.9cm)

Wt: 0.62oz. (17.6g)

Nord Mine, Garpenberg, Sweden

This large thumbnail contains a fair amount of native lead. The bulk of the specimen appears to be a black/green mica, and coating parts of this is the very light gray lead. Under a loupe, the lead is readily identified, as it almost looks like a gray wax coating with a dull luster, having no indications of crystal form (other than the false form where other crystals were removed to expose the lead). There are several tiny yellow-green crystals of anglesite present, as well.

Dims: 1.44x0.95x0.58" (3.65x2.43x1.47cm)

Wt: 0.63oz (17.7g)

Nerd Mine, Garpenberg, Sweden

The light gray lumps at one end of this specimen are naturally occuring lead. They are not very appealing, and comprize only a tiny part of the mass of this specimen, although additional lead may be present, of course. A loupe reveals additional tiny grains that are likely lead in other places on the specimen, visible largely by their dull and rounded appearance. The host rock appears to contain multiple minerals including a mica. Some of the crystals are lustrous, striated, and bluish. The specimen does not seem dense enough to have an appreciable fraction of lead compounds such as anglesite.