Galenite (Lead), beautiful crystallized crystals from Aholi mine Midelt, Morocco.

The mineral galena or galena (also galena) is a lead sulfide, more precisely: lead(II) sulfide, with the chemical formula PbS. The galena crystals are generally cubic, but sometimes octahedral. The mineral often occurs together with sphalerite (zinc blende) and fluorite (fluorspar). Deposits of galena are found in Germany, France, Romania, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Scotland, England, Australia and Mexico. In the United States, the mineral is found in Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Idaho, Utah, Montana, and Wisconsin. Galena is primarily found in hydrothermal veins and around pegmatites, as well as in veins in limestone and dolomite together with sphalerite. Galenite was already known to the Babylonians, and to the Romans it was a coveted substance, as its use in the aqueducts shows. The name galena for galena is of Roman origin. In ancient Egypt the mineral was used in beads. Galenite is an important lead ore. Furthermore, it is also used as a silver ore in the silver industry due to inclusions of argentite, of which lead is a by-product. Because of its special electrical properties, it was used in the pioneering days of radio to make a crystal receiver. Galena was used as a pigment for its dark gray color. For example, ground galena was used as eye shadow in many Arab countries.