Bismuthinite

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

Show Bismuthinite Photos (108)

Formula:

System:

Orthorhombic

Colour:

Lead gray to tin white

Hardness:

2 - 2½

Name:

From the composition.

Aikinite Group

Bismuthinite-Aikinite 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 : A_mB_nX_p, 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 Å³ (Calculated from Unit Cell)

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

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Optical Data of Bismuthinite

Type:

Anisotropic

Anisotropism:

Strong, especially in oil

Chemical Properties of Bismuthinite

Formula:

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)

2.DB.05

Antimonselite

2.DB.05

Guanajuatite

(Se,S)

2.DB.05

Metastibnite

2.DB.05

Pääkkönenite

AsS

2.DB.05

Stibnite

2.DB.10

Ottemannite

beta Sn

2.DB.10

Suredaite

PbSnS

2.DB.15

Bowieite

(Rh,Ir,Pt)

2.DB.15

Kashinite

(Ir,Rh)

2.DB.20

Montbrayite

(Au,Sb)

2.DB.25

Edgarite

FeNb

2.DB.30

Tarkianite

(Cu,Fe)(Re,Mo)

2.DB.35

Cameronite

AgCu

3.7.1

3.7.2

3.7.3

3.7.4

3.7.5

3.7.6

3.7.7

3.7.8

3.7.9

3.7.10

(S,Se)

3.7.11

Getchellite

AsSbS

3.7.12

Wakabayashilite

[(As,Sb)

][As

]

3.7.13

Pääkkönenite

AsS

3.7.14

3.7.15

3.7.16

3.7.18

Bi(Se,S)

3.7.19

Guanajuatite

(Se,S)

3.7.21

Ikunolite

(S,Se)

3.7.22

Laitakarite

3.7.23

Poubaite

PbBi

(Se,Te,S)

3.7.24

Tellurobismuthite

3.7.25

Součekite

PbCuBi(S,Se)

3.7.26

Tsumoite

BiTe

3.7.27

3.7.28

3.7.29

3.7.30

TeS

3.7.31

Joséite-B

3.7.32

Ingodite

TeS

3.7.33

Sulphotsumoite

3.7.34

Kawazulite

3.7.36

Skippenite

TeSe

3.7.37

Kochkarite

PbBi

3.7.38

Rucklidgeite

(Bi,Pb)

3.7.39

Aleksite

PbBi

3.7.40

Junoite

(S,Se)

Other Names for Bismuthinite

Synonyms:

German names:

Italian names:

Russian names:

Spanish names:

Swedish names:

Varieties:

Antimonian Bismuthinite

Argentiferous Bismuthinite

Horobetsuite

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.