Mindat Logo
Home Page Log In Messageboard The Mindat Directory
Register Search Pages Mineral Chatroom The Mindat Store

Bismuthinite

This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.
Big Photo

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

Show Bismuthinite Photos (251)



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


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
mindat.org URL:http://www.mindat.org/min-686.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

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
Comment:sp. gr. Pbnm
Crystal Atlas:
Image Loading
Click on an icon to view
Bismuthinite - {110}, {010}, {311}, modified
Bismuthinite - {110}, {010}, modified
Bismuthinite - {110}, {010}, {310}, modified

About Crystal Atlas

You may need to scroll this box using your mouse to view the full instructions.

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:
d-spacingIntensity
3.967 (40)
3.569 (100)
3.530 (60)
3.118 (80)
2.812 (50)
2.521 (40)
1.953 (40)
Comments:Synthetic.

Optical Data of Bismuthinite

Type:Anisotropic
Anisotropism:Strong, especially in oil
Reflectivity:
400nmR1=35.7%R2= 46.2%
420nmR1=36.4%R2= 47.2%
440nmR1=37.2%R2= 47.9%
460nmR1=37.7%R2= 48.3%
480nmR1=37.7%R2= 48.8%
500nmR1=37.6%R2= 49.4%
520nmR1=37.3%R2= 49.6%
540nmR1=37.1%R2= 49.1%
560nmR1=36.9%R2= 48.7%
580nmR1=36.8%R2= 48.3%
600nmR1=36.6%R2= 47.8%
620nmR1=36.4%R2= 47.3%
640nmR1=36.3%R2= 46.8%
660nmR1=36.1%R2= 46.3%
680nmR1=36.0%R2= 45.8%
700nmR1=35.9%R2= 45.4%


Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 49.6%.
R1 shown in black, R2 shown in red

Chemical Properties of Bismuthinite

Formula:
Bi
 
2
S
 
3
Essential elements:Bi, S
All elements listed in formula:Bi, S
Analytical Data:Riddarhyttan, Västmanland, Sweden.
Bi (79.47)
Cu (0.57)
Fe (0.17)
Te (0.94)
S (18.42)
insol. (0.50)
Total (100.07)
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:
WolframiteTourmalineStanniteQuartzPyrite
GalenaChalcopyriteCassiteriteBismuthArsenopyrite
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
Finnish:Vismuttihohde
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

Search Engines:
  • Look for Bismuthinite on Google
  • Look for Bismuthinite images on Google
    • External Links:
  • Look for Bismuthinite on Webmineral
  • Look for Bismuthinite on Athena Mineralogy
  • Look for Bismuthinite on Wikipedia
  • Look for Bismuthinite on Mineralien Atlas
  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Bismuthinite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
    • Mineral Dealers:
  • DAKOTA MATRIX offers Cabinet and Rare Species from Worldwide Localities.
  • Fine and rare minerals from mintreasure.com
  • SpiriferMinerals.com - high quality low prices
  • Find Bismuthinite on www.crystalclassics.co.uk
  • webminerals
  • Search for minerals at Heliodor
  • rare and unusual minerals mainly crystallized
  • Bismuthinite specimens for sale - minfind.com
  • Fabre Minerals - search for Bismuthinite specimens
  • Wilensky Fine Minerals
  • Mineral Classics - Worldwide Collector Quality Minerals and Gems
  • Buy RARE Minerals from Rocks of Africa
    • Specimens:The following Bismuthinite specimens are currently listed for sale on minfind.com.
    Jobs:
  • Mining & Geology Jobs

    • Localities for Bismuthinite

    The map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
    Show Locality List (1643 Items)
    Mineral and/or Locality
    Search Google
     
    Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2013. Site Map. Locality, mineral & photograph data are the copyright of the individuals who submitted them. Site hosted & developed by Jolyon Ralph. Mindat.org is an online information resource dedicated to providing free mineralogical information to all. Mindat relies on the contributions of thousands of members and supporters. Mindat does not offer minerals for sale. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register.
    Current server date and time: 15th May 2013 16:19:30
    Mineral and Locality Search
    Mineral:
    and/or Locality:
    Options
    Fade toolbar when not in focusFix toolbar to bottom of page
    Hide Social Media Links
    Slideshow frame delay seconds
    Locality Updated: San Miguel Mine, Moctezuma, Mun. de Moctezuma, Sonora, MexicoFrom David Von Bargen, 24th May 2013 23:52:46