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Stibnite

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Wuning Mine (Wining Mine; Wuling Mine), Qingjiang, Wuning Co., Jiujiang Prefecture, Jiangxi Province, China
© fabreminerals.com

Show Stibnite Photos (536)
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 latin "stibium" and the old name for the element antimony (Sb).


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
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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X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
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Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data: Peaks:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.

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
(S,Se)
 
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
SpiessglasStibiStibineStimmi
German names:
AntimonglanzAntimonitGrauspiessglanzerzGrauspiessglaserzPlatyophthalmit
Stibnit
Greek names:
ΣτιμμιΣτιβιΠλατνόφθαλμον
Italian names:
Antimonio grigioAntimoniteStibina
Japanese names:
輝安鉱
Russian names:
Антимонит
Spanish names:
Antimonio grisAntimonitaEstibnitaPlatyophthalmitaStibnita
Swedish names:
Antimonglans
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
  • Search for Stibnite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Stibnite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Stibnite

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