Lead(II) sulfate primary lead sulfide ore, galena. A number of lead basic sulfates are known: PbSO·PbO; PbSO·2PbO; PbSO·3PbO; PbSO·4PbO. They are used in manufacturing of active paste for lead acid batteries. A related mineral is leadhillite, 2PbCO·PbSO·Pb(OH). At high concentration of sulfuric acid (>80%), lead hydrogensulfate, Pb(HSO), forms. Lead(II) sulfate can be dissolved in concentrated HNO, HCl, HSO producing acidic salts or complex compounds, and in concentrated alkali giving soluble hexahydroxidoplumbate(II) [Pb(OH)] complexes. Lead(II) sulfate decomposes when heated above 1000 °C: Lead(II) sulfate Lead(II) sulfate (PbSO) is a white solid, which appears white in microcrystalline form. It is also known as "fast
Galena applied to pottery. Galena is a semiconductor with a small band gap of about 0.4 eV, which found use in early wireless communication systems. It was used as the crystal in crystal radio receivers, in which it was used as a point-contact diode capable of rectifying alternating current to detect the radio signals. The galena crystal was used with a sharp wire, known as a "cat's whisker" in contact with it. The operation of the radio required that the point of contact on the galena be shifted about to find a part of the crystal that acted as a rectifying