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Why can galena be valuable as a source of silver as well as lead?
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lead
Properties of lead.
Galena is valuable as a source of both lead and silver because the mineral frequently contains silver as an impurity within its structure.12
Because of this common association, galena is often mined for its silver content alongside its lead content. In many instances, the economic value of the silver present in the ore can actually exceed the value of the lead, in which case the deposit is classified specifically as a silver ore. Consequently, a significant portion of global silver production is derived as a byproduct from ores where the primary metal value is lead, copper, or zinc.123