Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Geology, Palaeontology & Archaeology => Topic started by: Make it Lady on 16/08/2010 17:07:59

Title: There's lead in them there hills?
Post by: Make it Lady on 16/08/2010 17:07:59

Whilst walking in Scotland we sat and had lunch on the remains of an old lead mine. We picked up a few rocks and saw that some had blue/grey square crystals. The rocks were quite heavy, white on shiney. Firstly were the blue crystals lead? and secondly what were the carrier rocks. Sorry no photo!

Title: There's lead in them there hills?
Post by: Geezer on 16/08/2010 18:52:38

If you were near Elvanfoot, it's a fair bet it was lead.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leadhills

Title: There's lead in them there hills?
Post by: Bored chemist on 16/08/2010 19:47:49

It's an even better bet that it was galena- a lead ore.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galena

I think most of the galena I have seen was in among quartz, but I'm not sure.
Is there a geologist in the house?

Title: There's lead in them there hills?
Post by: Bass on 16/08/2010 19:56:46

square crystals+blue grey color- no doubt it's galena (lead sulfide).
White carrier rocks (we use the jargon matrix or gangue) most likely quartz, though calcite, barite or anglesite are also possibilities.
Where in Scotland?

Title: There's lead in them there hills?
Post by: CreativeEnergy on 16/08/2010 20:01:19

That's what I was thinking as well...Galena.