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Stibnite

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Formula:
Sb
 
2
S
 
3
System:OrthorhombicColour:Lead-gray with pale blue ...
Hardness:2
Name:The name reflects its antimony content. The Greek name for the mineral was "stibi" or "stimmi", from whence came the Latin "stibium" and the old name for the element antimony (Sb).
Dimorph of:Metastibnite


Stibnite Group.

Classification of Stibnite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/D.08-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:2.DB.05

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
D : Metal Sulfides, M: S = 3 :4 and 2:3
B : M:S = 2:3
Dana 8th edition ID:2.11.2.1

2 : SULFIDES
11 : AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 2:3
Hey's CIM Ref.:3.7.14

3 : Sulphides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides and Bismuthides (except the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au, which are included in Section 1)
7 : Sulphides etc. of V, As, Sb and Bi
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Physical Properties of Stibnite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Lead-gray with pale blue tint
Streak:Lead grey
Hardness (Mohs):2
Hardness (Vickers):VHN100=71 - 86 kg/mm2
Comment:VHN on (010) section
Tenacity:Flexible
Cleavage:Perfect
Perfect on {010}, imperfect on {100}{110}
Fracture:Sub-Conchoidal
Density (measured):4.63 g/cm3
Density (calculated):4.625 g/cm3

Crystallography of Stibnite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Cell Parameters:a = 11.229Å, b = 11.31Å, c = 3.8389Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.993 : 1 : 0.339
Unit Cell Volume:V 487.54 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Slender to stout crystals
Twinning:Rare {130}{120}{310}
Crystal Atlas:
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Click on an icon to view
Stibnite no.9 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Stibnite no.10 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Stibnite no.12 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Stibnite no.31 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Stibnite no.55 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Stibnite no.110 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Stibnite no.115 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

About Crystal Atlas

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The mindat.org Crystal Atlas allows you to view a selection of crystal drawings of real and idealised crystal forms for this mineral and, in certain cases, 3d rotating crystal objects. You need Java to see these. You can download Java for free - click here to download Java

The 3d models and java code are kindly provided by www.smorf.nl. You can control the movement of the models by holding down the left mouse-button over the 3d model and moving your mouse. Keyboard controls are:

: default positions
t/T: decrease/increase transparency x/X: next/previous texture
b/B: next/previous background w: toggle wireframe
s: toggle sticks m: toggle miller indices
k: toggle crystallographic axes =/-: zoom in/out
r: stop/start rotation 1/2/3
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
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Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
5.052 (55)
3.573 (65)
3.556 (70)
3.053 (95)
2.764 (100)
2.680 (50)
2.525 (45)

Optical Data of Stibnite

Type:Anisotropic
Anisotropism:Strong
Colour in reflected light:white

Chemical Properties of Stibnite

Formula:
Sb
 
2
S
 
3
Essential elements:S, Sb
All elements listed in formula:S, Sb

Relationship of Stibnite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
2.DB.05Antimonselite
Sb
 
2
Se
 
3
2.DB.05Bismuthinite
Bi
 
2
S
 
3
2.DB.05Guanajuatite
Bi
 
2
(Se,S)
 
3
2.DB.05Metastibnite
Sb
 
2
S
 
3
2.DB.05Pääkkönenite
Sb
 
2
AsS
 
2
2.DB.10Ottemannite
beta Sn
 
2
S
 
3
2.DB.10Suredaite
PbSnS
 
3
2.DB.15Bowieite
(Rh,Ir,Pt)
 
2
S
 
3
2.DB.15Kashinite
(Ir,Rh)
 
2
S
 
3
2.DB.20Montbrayite
(Au,Sb)
 
2
Te
 
3
2.DB.25Edgarite
FeNb
 
3
S
 
6
2.DB.30Tarkianite
(Cu,Fe)(Re,Mo)
 
4
S
 
8
2.DB.35Cameronite
AgCu
 
7
Te
 
10
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
3.7.1Patrónite
VS
 
4
3.7.2Duranusite
As
 
4
S
3.7.3Dimorphite
As
 
4
S
 
3
3.7.4Realgar
As
 
4
S
 
4
3.7.5Pararealgar
As
 
4
S
 
4
3.7.6Alacránite
As
 
8
S
 
9
3.7.7Uzonite
As
 
4
S
 
5
3.7.8Orpiment
As
 
2
S
 
3
3.7.9Jeromite
3.7.10Laphamite
As
 
2
(Se,S)
 
3
3.7.11Getchellite
AsSbS
 
3
3.7.12Wakabayashilite
[(As,Sb)
 
6
S
 
9
][As
 
4
S
 
5
]
3.7.13Pääkkönenite
Sb
 
2
AsS
 
2
3.7.15Metastibnite
Sb
 
2
S
 
3
3.7.16Tellurantimony
Sb
 
2
Te
 
3
3.7.17Bismuthinite
Bi
 
2
S
 
3
3.7.18Nevskite
Bi(Se,S)
3.7.19Guanajuatite
Bi
 
2
(Se,S)
 
3
3.7.21Ikunolite
Bi
 
4
(S,Se)
 
3
3.7.22Laitakarite
Bi
 
4
Se
 
2
S
3.7.23Poubaite
PbBi
 
2
(Se,Te,S)
 
4
3.7.24Tellurobismuthite
Bi
 
2
Te
 
3
3.7.25Součekite
PbCuBi(S,Se)
 
3
3.7.26Tsumoite
BiTe
3.7.27Pilsenite
Bi
 
4
Te
 
3
3.7.28Hedleyite
Bi
 
7
Te
 
3
3.7.29Tetradymite
Bi
 
2
Te
 
2
S
3.7.30Joséite
Bi
 
4
TeS
 
2
3.7.31Joséite-B
Bi
 
4
Te
 
2
S
3.7.32Ingodite
Bi
 
2
TeS
3.7.33Sulphotsumoite
Bi
 
3
Te
 
2
S
3.7.34Kawazulite
Bi
 
2
Te
 
2
Se
3.7.36Skippenite
Bi
 
2
TeSe
 
2
3.7.37Kochkarite
PbBi
 
4
Te
 
7
3.7.38Rucklidgeite
(Bi,Pb)
 
3
Te
 
4
3.7.39Aleksite
PbBi
 
2
Te
 
2
S
 
2
3.7.40Junoite
Cu
 
2
Pb
 
3
Bi
 
8
(S,Se)
 
16

Other Names for Stibnite

Synonyms:
AlcoholAntimony GlanceGrey AntimonyLupus MetallorumPlatyophthalmite
SpiessglasStibiStimmi
Other Languages:
Basque:Estibina
Catalan:Estibina
Czech:Antimonit
Dutch:Stibniet
French:Stibine
German:Stibnit
Antimonglanz
Antimonit
Grauspiessglanzerz
Grauspiessglaserz
Platyophthalmit
Greek:Πλατνόφθαλμον
Στιβι
Στιμμι
Hungarian:Antimonit
Italian:Stibnite
Antimonio grigio
Antimonite
Stibina
Japanese:輝安鉱
Low Saxon:Stibnit
Polish:Antymonit
Portuguese:Estibina
Russian:Антимонит
Simplified Chinese:辉锑矿
Slovak:Antimonit
Spanish:Estibina
Antimonio gris
Antimonita
Estibnita
Platyophthalmita
Stibnita
Swedish:Antimonglans
Ukrainian:Антимоніт
Varieties:
Selenian Stibnite

Other Information

Thermal Behaviour:Melts at 546°C
Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

References for Stibnite

Reference List:

- +
Dana (1883), American Journal of Science: 26: 214.

Tokody (1937-38) Ann. Mus. Hungarici, Pars. Min.: 31: 165.

Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1944), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Volume I: Elements, Sulfides, Sulfosalts, Oxides. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York. 7th edition, revised and enlarged: 270-275.

Zeitschrift für Kristallographie (1972): 135: 308-315.

McKee D.D., McMullen J.T. (1976), Zeitschrift für Kristallographie: 142: 447.

Internet Links for Stibnite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
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