Galena << guh LEE nuh >> is the chief ore of lead. It is a heavy, brittle, lead-gray mineral with a metallic luster. Galena is a sulfide (sulfur compound) of lead and has the chemical formula PbS. In its purest state, it consists of 86.6 percent lead and 13.4 percent sulfur by weight. Galena is found in the form of masses in limestone or as fragments in sediment (loose pieces of minerals and rock). Some deposits of the mineral contain considerable silver and are refined to obtain lead and silver. Areas where much galena occurs include Australia, Canada, China, Mexico, Peru, and the United States. See also Lead (Production).
