Galena

specimen number:
2102318

location:
West Fork Mine, Reynolds Co., Missouri, USA

description:

Superb grouping of lustrous bright sharp galena crystals perched nicely on matrix. This would have been collected in the late 1980s or early 1990s. In excellent condition.

The West Fork Mine, located in Reynolds County, Missouri, is a significant component of the New Lead Belt within the Viburnum Trend. Geologically, the site consists of Mississippi Valley-Type (MVT) mineralization where lead and zinc sulfides replaced portions of the Cambrian-age Bonneterre Dolomite along a prehistoric carbonate reef structure. The mine is a notable producer of galena, which occurs as sharp, lustrous cubic and cubo-octahedral crystals, often associated with sphalerite, chalcopyrite, and dolomite. Historically, the West Fork Mine was developed following the major exploration surge in Southeast Missouri during the mid-20th century. Underground mining and quarrying activities officially commenced in 1985 under ASARCO, and the facility was later acquired by the Doe Run Company in 1998. The mine has remained a steady contributor to domestic lead production for several decades, with operations continuing as of 2026. Today, the West Fork Mine is recognized by both the industrial sector for its high-grade ore and by the mineralogical community for its well-formed sulfide specimens.

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