Muséum national d'histoire naturelle _ The species

FROM : Osykovo Mine, Madan, Bulgary
SIZE : 15 x 9 x 5.5 cm

This galena was offered to the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle in November 1985 by the Academy of Sciences of Bulgaria. It is made of several cubic crystals of galena along with bundles of colorless crystals of quartz.

This sample comes from the mineral deposit of Osykovo in Madan area in Bulgary. It is kept in the storage rooms of the collections of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (i.e., not yet displayed to the public).

Photography: A. Dahmane / Photo Saint-Hilaire, © MNHN.

SPECIE : Galena

HISTORY : Name inspired by the Greek word "γαλένε" [galêne] meaning "lead" and by Latin "galena" meaning "lead mineral"

Species described by Caius Plinius Secundus better known as Pliny the Elder (AD 23 – August 24, AD 79), an ancient author, naturalist and naval and military commander

Type-locality: unknown
ANCIENT NAME : Mine de plomb grise, plomb sulfuré

CHEMICAL FORMULA : Pb S
CRYSTAL SYSTEM : Cubic
COLOR : Lead gray
DIAPHANIETY : Opaque
LUSTER : Metallic
STREAK : Gris
MORPHOLOGY : Cubic crystals, seldomly cubo-octahedra or octahedra crystals
HARDNESS : 2,5-2,75
DENSITY : 7,57

CHEMICAL CLASS : II - Sulfides, arsenides
GROUP : Galena
STRUNZ CLASS BEFORE 2001 : 2/C.15-40
STRUNZ CLASS AFTER 2001 : 2.CD.10

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MNHN N°186.35

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