GALENA
Specimen gal-21
$ 36.00Dims: 2.9" x 1.7" x 1.4" (7.4 x 4.3 x 3.6 cm)
Wt: 9.75 oz. (276.4 g)
Reynolds County, Missouri, U.S.A.
This small hand specimen consists of a crust made up of several intergrown Galena crystals. Though incomplete due to their intergrowth and the specimen's separation from its place of origin, one can see that the crystals have a definite octahedral form. Their surfaces are uneven due to large growth patterns on their surfaces, but their form is good. The largest of these crystals measures 1" (2.5 cm) along its only complete edge. All show a dull metallic luster, but their coloration is quite unusual and beautiful. The crystals' surfaces are likely coated with a thin layer of either a metallic oxide or another sulfide, as all have a colorful and intense iridescence that ranges from green to blue to violet. The surfaces that were formed by the specimen's separation have the standard dark gray coloration and a brighter metallic luster than those of the crystals, and bear a small amount of a dull, brownish host rock.