Can a metal detector help in finding Galena ore?

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FrugalEE

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 23, 2010
Messages
133
The reason I ask is I would like to find a small quantity of it on my Missouri Ozark farm and process it to a metal sample to put on a plaque of wood (harvested from the farm, of course) or possibly cast it into a figurine. If enough galena found I could probably get some silver as well. I know about the dangers of lead.

I have a old Garrett detector near bottom of the line that has done pretty well for me. It had trouble out west in mineralized soil so I know it detects things other than solid metal. I read all this thread and I found no mention of detecting anything other than pretty pure metal with the exception of a mention of diamonds. I know they are carbon and at least some forms of carbon are very conductive, but do diamonds show up on a detector? What other key things might show up? I suppose some forms of iron are a main one.

FrugalEE
 
I seriously doubt a detector will pick up galena. I think they only work with elemental metals. (Unfortunately!)
 
Your vlf detector probably will pick up the mineralization of galena among any other mineralization.
 
The only galena ore I have ever seen was a solid piece of metal. Since it is lead I would assume it should be easy to find, if you have the right detector. My XLT would find it in a heartbeat (if it reacted the same a lead sinkers) I am not familier woth your machine.

Only way to find out is get a sample from your neck of the woods and try.
 
Cyberdan,

Thanks, I've already done what you suggest. I bought some Missouri galena samples on EBAY along with some lead ore. My detector is at the farm and I"m stuck in town so I haven't had a chance to experiment yet.

Love your Logo,

FrugalEE
 
Galena ore CANNOT be a solid piece of metal. If it was a solid piece of metal is would be pure elemental lead.

Galena is PbS - lead sulfide.

http://www.mindat.org/min-1641.html
 
Drewbie, Thanks for that great resource. I found out that there is a lead mine that is only about 10 miles from my Ozark farm and several others outside the normal lead mining areas. The library book I have, Fardon's Rocks and Minerals says "It is rarely found as a native element ---". Usually though when someone finds metallic lead it is a spent bullet or something else that came from human refined lead.

FrugalEE
 
Drewbie said:
Galena ore CANNOT be a solid piece of metal. If it was a solid piece of metal is would be pure elemental lead.

This is Galena, is it not solid metal. The piece I saw was very heavy and scratched just like lead and by the look would set off my XLT.
galena2.jpg
 
Are you saying it DID set off your XLT or you THINK it would set off your XLT?

I've waved a bunch of sulfide ore rocks (including galena) in front of a very sensitive pulse width detector and not one of them produces any sort of deflection.
 
Drewbie said:
I've waved a bunch of sulfide ore rocks (including galena) in front of a very sensitive pulse width detector and not one of them produces any sort of deflection.

me too and a metal dectector doesnt seem to see them at all. galina is as close to being a metal as is regular salt, it just hapens to look metalic. :cry:

I wonder if dimond does set off a metal dector, carbon is a conductor, but maby it would have to be a blue dimond those are doped with boron and are much more conductive.
 
The best metal detectors are designed to screen out mineralization and sound off for solid metals, hence the name. Tuned to find mineralization I think you would be hard pressed to find any soil that wouldn't sound off.
 
many dectors have a ground track feature thet shows mineralation in the soil, helps in tracking balck sand in the steam.
Also helps in finding old home sites in farm feild and in the woods.
Mike
 
My MXT can detect some silver and lead ores. They typically fall in the pull tab range. Have not found galena specifically, but I would think that it would fall in the same area of the ID meter as other detectable lead and silver ores.
 
not sure if anyone is interested... but the quote by Einstein is a touch off.

it should be ".... Everything should be MADE as simple as possible, but not simpler" emphasis on the missing word is mine.

It refers to understanding or, better still, in providing an explanation based on an understanding. In other words... ideas should be reduced to their simplest form without compromising the truth. ;)
 
So the answer is that some galena will set off a sensetive VLF detector and some will not. I have tested this in the field. If the galena is pure and the crystal is correctly formed, it will not conduct much and will not set off a detector. On the other hand, if it has significant silver in it or lots of holes in the crystal lattice (silver or other impurities will take a spot that should have lead with a +2 valence - that makes hoes in the lattice), then it will conduct and show up on your sensitive VLF. That said, like any target the larger the piece and shallower it is, the more likely your detector will see it. Cheap VLFs made to find coins may not see any galena as they might not be sensitive enough.
 
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