Galena is lead sulphide, the primary ore of lead, crystallizes in the cubic system, has a pronounced cubic cleavage. Fresh surfaces have a bright metallic lustre which dulls rapidly to a velvety dark grey, almost black. If you were to use it in jewelry you'd get serious attention from the Environmental Protection Agency. As a lead compound it counts as a hazardous material.
Well...*dangerous* is a value judgement. I work with lead all the time. Yet imported toys with lead in them get quickly removed from sale, old lead paint gets scraped off by remediation crews wearing breathing protection. Is galena *dangerous*? Not to me it isn't. But I wouldn't want young kids chewing on a galena necklace.
Joined: Thu May 29, 2008 8:32 am Posts: 1730 Location: Suwanee, GA US
I went and looked and Lead Sulfide has the same or similar health risks as Lead Oxide. So inhalation or ingestion exposure is a risk. The dose makes the poison though. And the reason I looked is that just because a compound has a toxic element, does not make that compound toxic. Sodium releases hydrogen from water and is hot enough to make it catch fire. But the ocean is full of sodium choloride and the sea life can't live without it.
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