{"title":"Bulgarian Galena","description":"\u003cp\u003eGalena is lead sulfide (PbS) and by far the most important ore of lead. It forms bright metallic grey cubes and is unusually heavy, about 7.5 times the weight of the same volume of water. Galena often contains small amounts of silver, which made it a major source of silver for centuries. Ancient Egyptians ground it into kohl, a dark eye cosmetic, and in the early twentieth century galena crystals were the detectors in crystal radio sets, one of the first uses of a natural semiconductor.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eBulgarian galena\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe galena in this collection comes from Bulgaria. The Rhodope Mountains in the south of the country have long been mined for lead and zinc, and galena is the main lead mineral of those deposits. Bulgarian galena usually forms sharp cubes and cubo-octahedrons with a mirror-like shine, often set on a pale base of quartz or calcite.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eOther minerals in these specimens\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eGalena almost always grew together with sphalerite, the zinc ore of the same deposits, and many specimens also carry quartz, calcite or brassy pyrite. The title of each listing names every mineral in the piece, and mixed specimens also appear in the collection of each mineral they contain.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow to recognise galena\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eGalena is soft at Mohs 2.5, so a knife scratches it easily, and even a small specimen feels unexpectedly heavy. It has perfect cleavage in three directions at right angles, so it breaks into neat little cubes, and it leaves a lead-grey streak. Fresh surfaces are mirror-bright and slowly dull to grey with time.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eSafety and care\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eGalena contains lead. It is safe to display and handle, but wash your hands afterwards, keep it away from small children and pets, never put it in drinking water and never use it to make elixirs. Its perfect cleavage makes edges chip easily, so handle it gently and dust it with a soft dry brush rather than washing it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEach listing shows the weight and photos of the actual specimen.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"big-quartz-cluster-with-calcite-and-galena-crystals-from-bulgaria-2400g","title":"Natural Big Quartz Cluster with Calcite and Galena Crystals from Bulgaria 2400g","description":"\u003cp\u003eA substantial block, over 21cm across, covered on every side with carbonate crystal in two clearly different habits. On the left, broad stacked plates in a soft peach-cream, each built up from thin layers so the faces step like a fanned deck of cards. To the right, hundreds of smaller crystals in a cooler white, blocky and rhombic, packed shoulder to shoulder across the whole face. Small patches of dark grey galena show through at the edges and in a few gaps, and the underside opens into pale quartz. Under ultraviolet light the calcite fluoresces: a deep rose-red at 365nm longwave, with a few blades staying pale and inert, and a much brighter scarlet across almost the whole surface at 310nm midwave, while the galena stays dark throughout.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTwo habits of the same mineral sitting side by side on one specimen is what makes this block interesting: the stacked peach plates and the fine white rhombs came out of the same pocket in the Bulgarian lead-zinc field of the Rhodope Mountains. Untreated. Calcite is 3 on the Mohs scale, galena 2.5 and quartz 7, so it is a soft piece for its size. At 2.4kg and 210mm long it wants a permanent spot rather than a shelf it has to share, ideally one with a UV lamp.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStone type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural quartz with calcite and galena\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2400g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 210x126x94mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e Peach-cream and white\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFluorescence:\u003c\/strong\u003e Calcite fluoresces red under UV (310nm and 365nm)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCut:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rough\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClarity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Opaque\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTreatment:\u003c\/strong\u003e Untreated\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bulgaria\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.5-7 (Mohs)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eNatural quartz with UV-fluorescent calcite and galena, Bulgaria, single piece.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lapis Magica","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55406252163397,"sku":"bg090-1","price":41.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0968\/8576\/8517\/files\/big-quartz-cluster-with-calcite-and-galena-crystals-from-bulgaria-2400g.jpg?v=1756321096"},{"product_id":"quartz-and-galena-cluster-with-pyrite-and-sphalerite-from-bulgaria-881g","title":"Natural Quartz and Galena Cluster with Pyrite and Sphalerite from Bulgaria 881g","description":"\u003cp\u003eA big, roughly domed block crowded with crystals on every side. Galena leads, in sharp octahedra of bright lead-grey with broad mirror-flat faces, several of the larger ones a good centimeter across. Dark grey-black sphalerite fills between them, and colorless to pale grey quartz crystals stand among both, clearest along the top and down the right side where they stand out against the surrounding metal. Brassy pyrite shows in small specks low on the left and around the base.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eQuartz, galena, pyrite and sphalerite together are the full set for the Bulgarian lead-zinc veins in the Rhodope Mountains, and having all four well crystallized on one block makes this as much a reference piece as a display one. Untreated. Galena is 2.5 on the Mohs scale, sphalerite 3.5 to 4, pyrite 6 to 6.5 and quartz 7. At 881g and 108mm it holds its own on a shelf.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStone type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural quartz, galena, pyrite and sphalerite\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 881g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 108x95x83mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e Silver-grey with white and gold\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCut:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rough\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClarity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Opaque\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTreatment:\u003c\/strong\u003e Untreated\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bulgaria\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.5-7 (Mohs)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eNatural quartz, galena, pyrite and sphalerite cluster, Bulgaria, single piece.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lapis Magica","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55406252228933,"sku":"bg108-3","price":16.4,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0968\/8576\/8517\/files\/quartz-and-galena-cluster-with-pyrite-and-sphalerite-from-bulgaria-881g.jpg?v=1756321095"},{"product_id":"cluster-with-pyrite-galena-and-quartz-crystals-from-bulgaria-780g","title":"Natural Cluster with Pyrite, Galena and Quartz Crystals from Bulgaria 780g","description":"\u003cp\u003ePyrite is the headline on this piece. Large brass-gold crystals, several of them over a centimeter across, sit in a few separate groups on a bed of massive galena and darker sphalerite, their faces striated and bright, one or two carrying a faint iridescent tarnish. Around them grow beds of fine white quartz needles that soften the metallic surface and lift the gold visually. The galena breaks to patches of silver-grey with flat lustrous faces, and the darker sphalerite between them keeps the contrast strong.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePyrite crystals of this size, cleanly formed on matrix rather than locked into massive ore, are the reason a piece like this gets kept as a specimen. From the Bulgarian lead-zinc field in the Rhodope Mountains. Untreated. Pyrite is 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale, quartz 7 and galena only 2.5, so the galena sets the handling limit. At 780g and 126mm across it works as a main shelf piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStone type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural pyrite with galena and quartz\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 780g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 126x87x59mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e Gold, silver and white\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCut:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rough\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClarity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Opaque\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTreatment:\u003c\/strong\u003e Untreated\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bulgaria\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.5-7 (Mohs)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eNatural pyrite, galena and quartz cluster, Bulgaria, single piece.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lapis Magica","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55406252261701,"sku":"bg108-2","price":12.8,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0968\/8576\/8517\/files\/cluster-with-pyrite-galena-and-quartz-crystals-from-bulgaria-780g.jpg?v=1756321094"},{"product_id":"bulgarian-calcite-and-galena-cluster-381g","title":"Natural Bulgarian Calcite and Galena Cluster 381g","description":"\u003cp\u003eA grey matrix plate carrying two generations of calcite and a scatter of galena. The bulk of the calcite is white to colorless, in small rounded crystals grouped in clusters across the left and center. Through the middle and right runs a warm apricot-orange calcite, iron-stained, in coarser sprays that give the piece its main color. Between them sit galena crystals in dark lead-grey with flat lustrous faces, a dozen or more of them, and a denser band of galena runs along the right edge.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe orange in the calcite comes from iron picked up during growth, not from any treatment, and it is what sets this piece apart from the plain white calcite more usual in the same veins. From the Rhodope lead-zinc field in Bulgaria. Untreated. Calcite is 3 on the Mohs scale and galena 2.5, both soft, so a shelf position suits it; at 95mm and 381g it is a comfortable mid-size specimen.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStone type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural calcite with galena\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 381g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 95x76x38mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e White, orange and grey\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCut:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rough\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClarity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Opaque\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTreatment:\u003c\/strong\u003e Untreated\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bulgaria\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.5-3 (Mohs)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eNatural calcite and galena cluster, Bulgaria, single piece.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lapis Magica","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55406252294469,"sku":"bg110","price":12.8,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0968\/8576\/8517\/files\/bulgarian-calcite-and-galena-cluster-381g.jpg?v=1756321094"},{"product_id":"galena-cluster-from-bulgaria-21-5g","title":"Natural Galena Cluster from Bulgaria 21.5g","description":"\u003cp\u003eA small piece with a clean group of galena crystals as its centerpiece: sharp octahedra in bright lead-grey, their broad triangular faces flat and highly reflective, sitting proud of the surface toward the right of the piece. Around and behind them the ground is darker and finer grained, dusted with a pale yellow-green film of chlorite that picks out the texture and gives the metallic grey something to sit against.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGalena is lead sulfide and the main lead ore, and even a piece this size feels noticeably heavy for its bulk. From the Bulgarian lead-zinc veins of the Rhodope Mountains. Untreated. At 2.5 on the Mohs scale galena is one of the softer minerals, so this is a tray specimen; at 43mm it fits easily in a thumbnail box or a study set.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStone type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural galena\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 21.5g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 43x24x15mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e Silver-grey\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCut:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rough\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClarity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Opaque\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTreatment:\u003c\/strong\u003e Untreated\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bulgaria\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.5 (Mohs)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eNatural galena cluster, Bulgaria, single piece.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lapis Magica","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55406252392773,"sku":"bg0104-10","price":2.05,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0968\/8576\/8517\/files\/galena-cluster-from-bulgaria-215g.jpg?v=1756321092"},{"product_id":"quartz-cluster-with-galena-and-sphalerite-crystals-from-bulgaria-337g","title":"Natural Quartz Cluster with Galena and Sphalerite Crystals from Bulgaria 337g","description":"\u003cp\u003eTwo halves with two very different characters. The upper part is a dense growth of fine quartz needles, colorless to milky, standing in radiating starbursts and small sprays over a pale grey-green ground, with rusty iron staining showing between them. Below the boundary the piece turns dark: black sphalerite and a tight group of galena crystals with sharp faces and bright metallic surfaces, clean and well formed, with brassy pyrite specks scattered around them. The line between the two is sharp, and that contrast is the appeal of the piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNeedle quartz of this kind grows late, over the sulfides, which is why it sits on top of the galena and sphalerite rather than under them. From the Bulgarian lead-zinc field in the Rhodope Mountains. Untreated. Galena is 2.5 on the Mohs scale, sphalerite 3.5 to 4 and quartz 7, and the fine needles are the delicate part. At 337g and 100mm it is a well-sized shelf specimen.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStone type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural quartz with galena and sphalerite\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 337g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 100x69x49mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e White with dark grey\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCut:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rough\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClarity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Opaque\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTreatment:\u003c\/strong\u003e Untreated\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bulgaria\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.5-7 (Mohs)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eNatural quartz with galena and sphalerite, Bulgaria, single piece.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lapis Magica","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55406252491077,"sku":"bg092-2","price":6.1,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0968\/8576\/8517\/files\/quartz-cluster-with-galena-and-sphalerite-crystals-from-bulgaria-337g.jpg?v=1756321091"},{"product_id":"sphalerite-galena-and-quartz-cluster-from-bulgaria-400g","title":"Natural Sphalerite, Galena and Quartz Cluster from Bulgaria 400g","description":"\u003cp\u003eA compact, near-cubic block covered on every visible face with crystals. Dark grey-black sphalerite makes up the bulk, its crystals blocky and finely striated, and set through them are galena crystals that come up much brighter, in clean steel-grey with broad flat faces. Colorless quartz crystals fill the spaces between, small and sharply pointed, with a cream-white patch of coarser quartz at the upper right corner and a scattering of brassy pyrite specks low on the left.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSphalerite, galena and quartz are the three constants of the Bulgarian lead-zinc veins in the Rhodope Mountains, and a block like this with all three well crystallized on several faces at once makes a useful reference piece. Untreated. Galena is 2.5 on the Mohs scale, sphalerite 3.5 to 4 and quartz 7. At 400g and 82mm it is a good size to pick up and turn.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStone type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural sphalerite with galena and quartz\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 400g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 82x80x46mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e Dark grey with silver and white\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCut:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rough\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClarity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Translucent\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTreatment:\u003c\/strong\u003e Untreated\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bulgaria\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.5-7 (Mohs)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eNatural sphalerite, galena and quartz cluster, Bulgaria, single piece.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lapis Magica","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55406252622149,"sku":"bg108-1","price":15.3,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0968\/8576\/8517\/files\/sphalerite-galena-and-quartz-cluster-from-bulgaria-400g.jpg?v=1756321089"},{"product_id":"big-cluster-with-calcite-pyrite-quartz-and-galena-from-bulgaria-771g","title":"Natural Big Cluster with Calcite, Pyrite, Quartz and Galena from Bulgaria 771g","description":"\u003cp\u003eA wide, flat plate crowded with crystals of four minerals across its whole face. Pyrite dominates in warm brass-gold, dozens of small sharp crystals scattered from end to end, some bright, others tarnished to a deep bronze-orange. Silver-grey galena sits among them in blocky crystals with flat lustrous faces, white calcite blades cut across the middle and upper areas in flattened sprays, and clear quartz points fill the remaining gaps. The dark grey-green groundmass beneath keeps all four standing out sharply.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHaving pyrite, galena, calcite and quartz cleanly crystallized side by side on one plate is what makes this piece worth keeping, and the flat 190x108mm face shows all four at once. From the Bulgarian lead-zinc field in the Rhodope Mountains. Untreated. Hardness runs from 2.5 for the galena up to 7 for the quartz, and the softest parts mark easily. At only 30mm thick this is a plate to lay flat or mount upright in a case.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStone type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural pyrite, galena, calcite and quartz\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 771g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 190x108x30mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e Gold, silver and white\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCut:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rough\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClarity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Opaque\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTreatment:\u003c\/strong\u003e Untreated\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bulgaria\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.5-7 (Mohs)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eNatural pyrite, galena, calcite and quartz plate, Bulgaria, single piece.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lapis Magica","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55406252687685,"sku":"bg089-1","price":15.3,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0968\/8576\/8517\/files\/big-cluster-with-calcite-pyrite-quartz-and-galena-from-bulgaria-771g.jpg?v=1756321088"},{"product_id":"quartz-with-galena-crystal-clusterfrom-bulgaria-426g","title":"Natural Quartz with Galena Crystal Cluster from Bulgaria 426g","description":"\u003cp\u003eA chunky quartz group of stout white crystals with clear stepped terminations, milky through the body and brighter where the faces are clean. The crystals climb in tiers toward a broad crystal at the top. Along the lower left and across the base, dark lead-grey galena sits in the quartz in irregular patches with bright metallic surfaces, joined by tan matrix and a few small pyrite grains. The white and the metallic grey meet cleanly, so both are easy to see.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eQuartz and galena grow together in the Bulgarian lead-zinc veins, the quartz usually forming first and the galena filling in around it, which is the sequence visible on this piece. From the Rhodope Mountains. Untreated. Quartz is 7 on the Mohs scale and galena 2.5, so the galena is the soft part; at 426g and 103mm it makes a solid mid-size display specimen.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStone type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural quartz with galena\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 426g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 103x70x60mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e White with grey\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCut:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rough\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClarity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Translucent\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTreatment:\u003c\/strong\u003e Untreated\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bulgaria\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.5-7 (Mohs)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eNatural quartz with galena, Bulgaria, single piece.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lapis Magica","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55406252753221,"sku":"bg069-4","price":6.1,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0968\/8576\/8517\/files\/quartz-with-galena-crystal-cluster-from-bulgaria-426g.jpg?v=1780760836"},{"product_id":"galena-and-quartz-cluster-1200g","title":"Natural Galena and Quartz Cluster 1200g","description":"\u003cp\u003eA pale cream matrix carries a dense scatter of galena crystals across its whole upper face, dozens of them, each a sharp cubo-octahedron in bright lead-grey with clean mirror-flat faces. Between and among them grow fine white quartz needles in small radiating sprays, which soften the hard metallic look of the galena and lift the contrast with the pale ground. The crystals sit well proud of the matrix, so the surface has real depth rather than lying flat.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGalena crystallizing as separate sharp crystals on a light matrix, rather than as solid massive ore, is what collectors look for in Bulgarian material, and the Rhodope lead-zinc mines are the source. Untreated. Galena is soft at 2.5 on the Mohs scale and the quartz needles are fine, so the piece is best left where it stands; at 1.2kg and 105mm across it holds a shelf on its own.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStone type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural galena with quartz\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1200g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 105x106x89mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e Silver-grey on cream\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCut:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rough\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClarity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Opaque\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTreatment:\u003c\/strong\u003e Untreated\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bulgaria\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.5-7 (Mohs)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eNatural galena and quartz cluster, Bulgaria, single piece.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lapis Magica","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55406252818757,"sku":"bg106","price":20.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0968\/8576\/8517\/files\/galena-and-quartz-cluster-from-bulgaria-1200g.jpg?v=1780760826"},{"product_id":"cleiophane-green-sphalerite-with-galena-cluster-crystal-from-bulgaria-22g","title":"Natural Cleiophane Green Sphalerite with Galena Cluster Crystal from Bulgaria 22g","description":"\u003cp\u003eA small, dense piece where galena and cleiophane share the surface almost equally. The galena forms blocky steel-grey crystals with flat stepped faces across the lower half, bright and clean where they are freshly exposed. Above and around them the cleiophane comes through in a vivid yellow-green, glassy and clearly translucent along the crystal edges, the most open green on the piece. Pale beige matrix shows at the outer margins.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCleiophane is sphalerite low in iron, and this one sits toward the light end of the range, which is why the green is as bright as it is. Galena and cleiophane crystallize together in the Bulgarian lead-zinc veins of the Rhodope Mountains. Untreated. Galena is 2.5 on the Mohs scale and sphalerite 3.5 to 4, both soft, so this is a tray or cabinet piece; at 35mm it is a true thumbnail specimen.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStone type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural cleiophane (green sphalerite) with galena\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 22g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 35x21x16mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yellow-green with grey\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCut:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rough\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClarity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Opaque\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTreatment:\u003c\/strong\u003e Untreated\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bulgaria\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.5-4 (Mohs)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eNatural cleiophane green sphalerite with galena, Bulgaria, single piece.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lapis Magica","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55406253015365,"sku":"bg071-8","price":10.2,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0968\/8576\/8517\/files\/cleiophane-green-sphalerite-with-galena-cluster-crystal-from-bulgaria-22g.jpg?v=1756321083"},{"product_id":"cleiophane-green-sphalerite-with-galena-and-quartz-cluster-crystal-from-bulgaria-89g","title":"Natural Cleiophane Green Sphalerite with Galena and Quartz Cluster Crystal from Bulgaria 89g","description":"\u003cp\u003eA rounded dome of pale grey-white sugary quartz, its surface running in soft parallel ridges, with a good scatter of small galena crystals in bright silver set across it. The centerpiece is a tight group of cleiophane crystals a little above the middle, dark olive-green to near-black with well-defined faces, and a second green group sits at the lower left in a more open yellow-olive tone where the crystals are thinner. Further green and silver crystals run along the bottom edge, so the coverage carries around the piece rather than sitting on one face alone.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCleiophane is sphalerite low in iron, which is what lifts the color out of black and into the green and honey range. The two cleiophane groups on this piece differ in tone, the darker one at the center and the lighter yellow-green one at the lower left, which shows how much a small change in iron content matters. From the Rhodope lead-zinc deposits in Bulgaria. Untreated. Sphalerite is 3.5 to 4 on the Mohs scale, galena 2.5 and quartz 7. A neat display size at 59mm.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStone type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural cleiophane (green sphalerite) with galena and quartz\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 89g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 59x51x26mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e White with green and silver\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCut:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rough\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClarity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Opaque\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTreatment:\u003c\/strong\u003e Untreated\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bulgaria\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.5-7 (Mohs)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eNatural cleiophane green sphalerite with galena and quartz, Bulgaria, single piece.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lapis Magica","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55406253211973,"sku":"bg071-2","price":20.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0968\/8576\/8517\/files\/cleiophane-green-sphalerite-with-galena-and-quartz-cluster-crystal-from-bulgaria-89g.jpg?v=1756321081"},{"product_id":"cleiophane-green-sphalerite-with-galena-and-quartz-cluster-crystal-from-bulgaria-160g","title":"Natural Cleiophane Green Sphalerite with Galena and Quartz Cluster Crystal from Bulgaria 160g","description":"\u003cp\u003eA pale plate of white sugary quartz, crusted with fine micro-crystals and edged in warm tan host rock, carrying two kinds of crystal on its face. Bright silver galena is scattered across the quartz in sharp little octahedra, a dozen or more of them, clean-faced and highly lustrous. On the left a single larger cleiophane crystal stands out in dark olive-green with a glassy sheen, its faces stepped and well formed, with a smaller green crystal higher up. Faint rust-orange iron staining runs through the quartz between them.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCleiophane is the name for low-iron sphalerite, the variety that comes out pale yellow, honey or green instead of the usual black. The green here is clearest at the crystal edges, where light passes through. Bulgaria's Rhodope lead-zinc deposits are a well-known source of it. Untreated. Sphalerite is 3.5 to 4 on the Mohs scale, galena 2.5 and quartz 7, so the sulfides set the handling limit, and the flat back makes this an easy piece to stand on a shelf.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStone type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural cleiophane (green sphalerite) with galena and quartz\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 160g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 83x59x29mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e White with green and silver\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCut:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rough\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClarity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Opaque\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTreatment:\u003c\/strong\u003e Untreated\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bulgaria\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.5-7 (Mohs)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eNatural cleiophane green sphalerite with galena and quartz, Bulgaria, single piece.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lapis Magica","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55406253277509,"sku":"bg071-1","price":20.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0968\/8576\/8517\/files\/cleiophane-green-sphalerite-with-galena-and-quartz-cluster-crystal-from-bulgaria-160g.jpg?v=1756321080"},{"product_id":"chalcopyrite-galena-sphalerite-and-quartz-cluster-crystal-from-bulgaria-102g","title":"Natural Chalcopyrite Galena Sphalerite and Quartz Cluster Crystal from Bulgaria 102g","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn elongated, flat piece with a sooty black surface of fine-grained sphalerite and galena, and scattered across it dozens of small chalcopyrite crystals in warm brass-gold. They sit proud of the dark crust in ones and small groups, and the gold against near-black is what carries the piece. Slender colorless quartz crystals grow among them, some as single blades, others in small radiating sprays that stand out clearly against the dark background.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eChalcopyrite is copper iron sulfide and the main copper ore worldwide; its brass color and its tendency to take an olive to iridescent tarnish are how it is told apart from pyrite. Here it crystallized late, over the sphalerite and galena, which is why the crystals sit on the surface rather than in it. From the Bulgarian lead-zinc veins of the Rhodope Mountains. Untreated. Hardness runs 2.5 to 7 across the four minerals present, so this is a shelf piece rather than a pocket one.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStone type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural chalcopyrite with galena, sphalerite and quartz\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 102g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 95x46x26mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e Black with brass-gold\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCut:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rough\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClarity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Opaque\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTreatment:\u003c\/strong\u003e Untreated\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bulgaria\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.5-7 (Mohs)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eNatural chalcopyrite, galena, sphalerite and quartz, Bulgaria, single piece.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lapis Magica","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55406253310277,"sku":"bg104-1","price":5.1,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0968\/8576\/8517\/files\/chalcopyrite-galena-sphalerite-and-quartz-cluster-crystal-from-bulgaria-102g.jpg?v=1756321080"},{"product_id":"sphalerite-galena-and-pyrite-cluster-crystal-from-bulgaria-178g","title":"Natural Sphalerite Galena and Pyrite Cluster Crystal from Bulgaria 178g","description":"\u003cp\u003eA compact, solid block of ore with three minerals sharing the surface. Most of it is dark grey to black sphalerite in blocky crystals with fine parallel striations across their faces and a bright submetallic sheen. Galena crystals sit among them in a paler steel-grey, showing flat stepped faces. On the upper left a patch of pyrite stands out in warm brass-yellow, a small cluster of sharp crystals that carries the only real color on the piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePyrite, galena and sphalerite are the standard trio of the Bulgarian lead-zinc veins in the Rhodope Mountains, and having all three cleanly crystallized on one hand-sized block is what makes a piece like this useful in a collection. Untreated. Hardness runs from 2.5 for the galena to 6.5 for the pyrite, so the softer galena sets the handling limit, and at 70mm the block sits comfortably in the palm.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStone type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural sphalerite with galena and pyrite\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 178g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 70x55x31mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e Dark grey with brass-yellow\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCut:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rough\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClarity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Opaque\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTreatment:\u003c\/strong\u003e Untreated\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bulgaria\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.5-6.5 (Mohs)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eNatural sphalerite, galena and pyrite, Bulgaria, single piece.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lapis Magica","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55406253375813,"sku":"bg096-1","price":9.2,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0968\/8576\/8517\/files\/sphalerite-galena-and-pyrite-cluster-crystal-from-bulgaria-178g.jpg?v=1780760826"},{"product_id":"big-galena-and-sphalerite-cluster-crystal-from-bulgaria-2-2kg","title":"Natural Big Galena and Sphalerite Cluster Crystal from Bulgaria 2.2kg","description":"\u003cp\u003eGalena dominates this large piece. Its crystals cover the domed upper surface in a dense, uneven carpet, showing cubic and stepped faces in bright lead-grey with the mirror-like metallic luster galena is known for, some faces broad and clean, others broken into small terraces. Darker brown-black sphalerite fills in between and around them, and a rusty ochre stain runs through the lower left where iron has worked into the matrix. At 180mm long and 2.2kg it is a genuinely substantial piece of ore.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGalena is the principal lead ore and one of the densest common minerals, which is immediately obvious when you pick this one up. The Rhodope lead-zinc field in Bulgaria has produced galena and sphalerite together for decades, and specimens like this come straight from that ore. Untreated. Galena is soft at 2.5 on the Mohs scale and sphalerite 3.5 to 4, so this is a shelf piece where its size does the work.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStone type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural galena with sphalerite\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2200g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 180x130x60mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e Silver-grey and dark brown\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCut:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rough\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClarity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Opaque\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTreatment:\u003c\/strong\u003e Untreated\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bulgaria\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.5-4 (Mohs)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eNatural galena with sphalerite, Bulgaria, single piece.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lapis Magica","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55406253539653,"sku":"bg101-2","price":33.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0968\/8576\/8517\/files\/big-galena-and-sphalerite-cluster-crystal-from-bulgaria-22kg.jpg?v=1756321077"},{"product_id":"big-sphalerite-with-galena-cluster-crystal-from-bulgaria-1-2kg","title":"Natural Big Sphalerite with Galena Cluster Crystal from Bulgaria 1.2kg","description":"\u003cp\u003eA heavy, dark cluster built almost entirely of sphalerite, its crystals grown tightly together across the whole face in a near-black brown with a resinous to submetallic luster. Set through them, in small groups and singly, are galena crystals in bright lead-grey, their flat, bright faces standing out against the darker sphalerite around them. A patch of chalcopyrite on the upper right adds a warm brass-yellow note, and pale cream carbonate fills a few of the gaps between crystals.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSphalerite is zinc sulfide and galena lead sulfide, and the two crystallize together in the Bulgarian lead-zinc veins of the Rhodope Mountains, which is why they turn up on the same specimen so often. This one is untreated. Sphalerite is 3.5 to 4 on the Mohs scale and galena 2.5, so it is a soft piece for its size; at 1.2kg and 124mm across it is made to sit on a shelf rather than be passed around.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStone type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural sphalerite with galena\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1200g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 124x96x56mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e Dark grey to black\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCut:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rough\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClarity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Opaque\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTreatment:\u003c\/strong\u003e Untreated\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bulgaria\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.5-4 (Mohs)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eNatural sphalerite with galena, Bulgaria, single piece.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lapis Magica","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55406253637957,"sku":"bg101-1","price":23.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0968\/8576\/8517\/files\/big-sphalerite-with-galena-cluster-crystal-from-bulgaria-12kg.jpg?v=1756321077"},{"product_id":"white-barite-on-quartz-and-galena-androvo-mine-bulgaria-311g","title":"Natural White Baryte on Quartz and Galena Androvo Mine Bulgaria 311g","description":"\u003cp\u003eBlades of baryte fan out across the top of this specimen, tabular crystals with squared-off ends overlapping one another like a loosely spread stack of cards. They are colorless to milky white and glassy where the faces are clean, turning chalky and pale cream where they grow down into the matrix. Beneath and around them the surface is a bed of small white quartz crystals, and along the lower right edge sits a run of dark lead-grey galena with the bright metallic luster the mineral is known for, with a few brassy pyrite specks nearby.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBaryte is barium sulfate, and its high density is the giveaway in the hand: the piece feels noticeably heavier than a quartz specimen of the same size. The Androvo mine in Bulgaria is collected specifically for baryte in this tabular, well-formed habit, and the association with quartz and galena is typical of the ore veins there. Untreated. At 3 to 3.5 on the Mohs scale baryte is soft, which makes this a display and cabinet piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStone type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural baryte on quartz with galena\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 311g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 80x69x62mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e White with grey\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCut:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rough\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClarity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Opaque\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTreatment:\u003c\/strong\u003e Untreated\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Androvo mine, Bulgaria\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardness:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.5-7 (Mohs)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eNatural white baryte on quartz and galena, Androvo mine, Bulgaria, single piece.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lapis Magica","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55406253998405,"sku":"bg050-2","price":16.9,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0968\/8576\/8517\/files\/white-barite-on-quartz-and-galena-androvo-mine-bulgaria-311g.jpg?v=1756321074"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0968\/8576\/8517\/collections\/galena-and-quartz-cluster-from-bulgaria-1200g.jpg?v=1792501431","url":"https:\/\/lapismagica.com\/collections\/bulgarian-galena.oembed","provider":"Lapis Magica","version":"1.0","type":"link"}