It forms the substrate for several secondary minerals such as anglesite, cerussite, hydrocerussite and wulfenite. Color is usually lead-gray. Luster is metallic. Diaphaneity is opaque. Crystal Habits include crystalline masses to several centimeters and sharp cubes or cuboctahedrons to 10mm.
Fracture is subconchoidal.
Streak is lead-gray. Associated Minerals include aegirine, albite, amphibole group, analcime, ancylite, apophyllite series, astrophyllite, biotite, calcite, catapleiite, cerussite, eudialyte, fluorapatite, fluorite, microcline, natrolite, polylithionite, rhodochrosite, siderite, sphalerite and wulfenite. Known from antiquity, comes from the Latin galena , lead ore or dross from melted lead.