- Stone type
- Natural sphalerite with galena
- Weight
- 1200g
- Size
- 124x96x56mm
- Color
- Dark grey to black
- Cut
- Rough
- Clarity
- Opaque
- Treatment
- Untreated
- Origin
- Bulgaria
- Hardness
- 2.5-4
Natural Big Sphalerite with Galena Cluster Crystal from Bulgaria 1.2kg
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A 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.
Sphalerite 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.
Natural sphalerite with galena, Bulgaria, single piece.
We ship worldwide from Sofia, Bulgaria. Every order is packed in a protective box with bubble wrap. Orders within Bulgaria are dispatched within 1-2 business days and international orders within 2-3 business days. Free shipping is applied automatically at checkout, and the threshold applies to the order value after any discounts.
Delivery within Bulgaria
- Delivered by Speedy, Econt or Box Now, to a courier office, a locker or your address.
- Fixed prices: Box Now locker €1.60 (free on orders from €25), Speedy office €3.20, Econt office or locker €4.00, Speedy to your address €4.50.
- Free shipping on orders over €50, with any courier and at any weight.
- Cash on delivery is available.
- Delivery normally takes 1-2 business days after dispatch.
- Handle with careThis specimen contains galena, a lead sulfide. Handling it is fine, but wash your hands afterwards, never lick or chew it, keep it away from children and pets, and never grind or sand it.
- Hardness
- 2.5-4
- Cleavage
- Varies
- Durability
- Fair
- Soapy water
- Rinse only
- Ultrasonic
- Avoid
- Steam
- Avoid
About this specimen
This specimen combines several minerals that grew together, each with its own hardness and weak spots, so treat it as gently as its softest part.
Cleaning
Rinse it briefly in lukewarm water, loosen dirt with a soft brush and let it air-dry. Do not scrub the crystals. Skip ultrasonic and steam cleaners: they can loosen crystals and open cracks between the different minerals.
Wear and storage
Store it padded and apart from other specimens, so its edges and faces do not chip or scratch. Lift it by its base or matrix, not by the crystals. It is soft enough to be scratched by a fingernail, so handle it as little as possible.
Scale
True to scale: 124 × 96 × 56 mm
Shown next to a €1 coin (23.25 mm) in the exact ratio, so you can picture the real size. The outline is approximate.
