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Bismuthinite

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Cerro Tazna, Atocha-Quechisla District, Nor Chichas Province, Potosí Department, Bolivia
© Saul Krotki 2003

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Formula:
Bi
 
2
S
 
3
System:OrthorhombicColour:Lead gray to tin white
Hardness:2 - 2½
Name:From the composition.


Aikinite-Bismuthinite Series.

Classification of Bismuthinite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:2/D.08-40
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:2.11.2.3

2 : SULFIDES
11 : AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 2:3
Hey's CIM Ref.:3.7.17

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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Occurrences of Bismuthinite

Geological Setting:Low to high temperature hydrothermal veins

Physical Properties of Bismuthinite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Lead gray to tin white
Comment:Yellowish or iridescent tarnish.
Streak:Lead-gray
Hardness (Mohs):2 - 2½
Tenacity:Flexible
Cleavage:Perfect
Perfect on {010}
imperfect on {100} {110}
Comment:Somewhat sectile
Density (measured):6.78 g/cm3
Density (calculated):6.81 g/cm3

Crystallography of Bismuthinite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Cell Parameters:a = 11.12Å, b = 11.25Å, c = 3.97Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.988 : 1 : 0.353
Unit Cell Volume:V 496.65 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Stout prismatic to acicular
Crystal Atlas:
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Bismuthinite - {110}, {010}, {311}, modified
Bismuthinite - {110}, {010}, modified
Bismuthinite - {110}, {010}, {310}, modified

About Crystal Atlas

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Optical Data of Bismuthinite

Type:Anisotropic
Anisotropism:Strong, especially in oil

Chemical Properties of Bismuthinite

Formula:
Bi
 
2
S
 
3
Essential elements:Bi, S
All elements listed in formula:Bi, S
Common Impurities:Pb,Cu,Fe,As,Sb,Se,Te

Relationship of Bismuthinite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Aikinite (see here)
Common Associates:
BismuthArsenopyriteStanniteGalenaPyrite
ChalcopyriteTourmalineWolframiteCassiteriteQuartz
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
2.DB.05Antimonselite
Sb
 
2
Se
 
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.05Stibnite
Sb
 
2
S
 
3
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
3.7.14Stibnite
Sb
 
2
S
 
3
3.7.15Metastibnite
Sb
 
2
S
 
3
3.7.16Tellurantimony
Sb
 
2
Te
 
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 Bismuthinite

Synonyms:
Bismuth GlanceBismuthineBismutholampriteBismutinite
Other Languages:
Basque:Bismutinita
Catalan:Bismutinita
Dutch:Bismutiniet
German:Bismuthinit
Wismutglanz
Italian:Bismutina
Polish:Bizmutyn
Russian:Висмутин
Simplified Chinese:辉铋矿
Spanish:Bismuthinita
Swedish:Vismutglans
Ukrainian:Бісмутин
Varieties:
Antimonian BismuthiniteArgentiferous BismuthiniteHorobetsuite

Other Information

Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Industrial Uses:Bismuth ore.

References for Bismuthinite

Reference List:

- +
Groth (1880) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie: 5: 252.

Peacock (1933) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie: 86: 203.

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: 275-278.

Kupčik, V. and Veselá-Nováková, L. (1970) Zur Kristallstruktur des Bismuthinits, Bi2S3. Tschermaks Mineralogische und Petrographische Mitteilungen: 14: 55-59.

Mozgova, N.N., Nenasheva, S.N., Christykova, N.I., Mogilevkin, S.B., and Sivtsov, A.V. (1990) Compositional fields of minerals in the bismuthinite-aikinite series. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte 1990: 35-45.

Petrícek, Vaclav and Emil Makovicky (2006), Interpretation of selected structures of the bismuthinite – aikinite series as commensurately modulated structures: Canadian Mineralogist: 44(1): 189-206.

Internet Links for Bismuthinite

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    Locality Updated: Unnamed Au occurrence (12), La Porte, La Porte District, Plumas Co., California, USAFrom Chester S. Lemanski, Jr., 4th Feb 2012 00:22:53