Galena Deposits

[JCR]

Do any members here have experience with how Galena ore responds to a VLF detector? I'm just curious if some folks on the Upper Missouri river where early mining started ever dig it. I understand it can be found in placer deposits very near the surface.

[Steve Herschbach]

I have seen pure cubic galena that is quite invisible to a detector. Other forms, especially those that carry silver, can be quite reactive. Rough rule of thumb, the dustier and darker looking it is, the more silver content. I have some high grade galena/silver that I found quite by accident while looking for gold in Arizona - stuff just screamed on my detector.

I’m guessing that is less an issue with the Missouri stuff, where some beautiful cubic specimens occur. Actually is the state mineral.

https://www.sos.mo.gov/symbol/mineral