GALENA
Specimen gal-25
$ 26.00Dims: 2.6 x 1.9 x 1.4" (6.6 x 4.8 x 3.6 cm)
Wt: 8.44 oz. (239.4 g)
Pachapaque Mine, Ancash Department, Peru
Nearly all of the Galena on this small hand specimen is damaged and heavily cleaved into cubic fragments- only a small amount shows its natural cube-based and pseudohexagonal forms. It is difficult to discern individual crystals among the intact material due to intense intergrowth and dissemination of form. However, these crystals do possess well-defined edges and rather heavily patterned but clean faces that show the classic dark gray color and dull metallic luster. The cleaved areas show a brighter metallic luster and intense iridescence, with colors that range from deep red-violet to blue, green and even yellow. The intact crystals also are iridescent, but not nearly as much so as the cleaved spots. The Galena is accompanied by a few small crusts of tiny intergrown pyrite crystals and several small, milky quartz crystals that show good form. There is no actual host or base material present.