Galena cubic unit cell much like the mineral halite of the halide mineral group. Zinc, cadmium, iron, copper, antimony, arsenic, bismuth and selenium also occur in variable amounts in galena. Selenium substitutes for sulfur in the structure constituting a solid solution series. The lead telluride mineral altaite has the same crystal structure as galena. Within the weathering or oxidation zone galena alters to anglesite (lead sulfate) or cerussite (lead carbonate). Galena exposed to acid mine drainage can be oxidized to anglesite by naturally occurring bacteria and archaea, in a process similar to bioleaching. One of the oldest uses of galena was
Mineral Exploration Research Centre deposits, volcanology, geochemistry, and alteration associated with hydrothermal copper-zine-(gold) volcanogenic massive sulfide ore deposits, structure, geochemistry, and alteration associated with hydrothermal orogenic lode gold deposits, mineralogy, geochemistry, and genesis of rare-element and rare-metal pegmatites, and the sedimentology of Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) Pb-Zn deposits and placer Au and U deposits. MERC and the Harquail School of Earth Sciences are a world-leaders in mineral deposits education, offering a Co-Op BSc in Mineral Exploration program, hosting the annual PDAC-sponsored Student-Industry Mineral Exploration Workshop, offering a fully modular ("block") Applied MSc degree in Mineral Exploration, and offering a PhD in Mineral Exploration and Precambrian