Galena

A superb and all-around showy specimen of cuboctahedral Galena crystals of metallic grey covering a high mound of sulphide coated Quartz and Calcite.  From the Churprinz Friedrich August Erbstolln Mine at Großschirma in the Freiberg District of Saxony, Germany, the Galena crystals vary from about 2 to 10 mm across and show many forms of cuboctahedral development between simple cubes and perfect octahedrons. The individual crystals tend to form as separate crystals rather than intergrown groups and have a high lustre against the sooty matt black foil beneath. Micro orange-brown Siderite crystals and milky-white Baryte crystals are also dusted over the matrix, so making a beautiful Galena specimen from Großschirma.