Stibnite
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Formula:
Sb2S3
System:
Orthorhombic
Colour:
Lead-gray with pale blue ...
Lustre:
Metallic
Hardness:
2
Member of:
Name:
Renamed in 1832 by François Sulpice Beudant. According to Dioscorides, the original Greek names for the mineral were Στιβι "stibi", Στιμμι "stimmi", and Πλατνόπθαλμου. The former name became the Latin "stibium" and the old name for the element antimony (Sb). Named spiessglas in 1430 by Basil Valentine who showed the mineral contained sulphur. Also known as antimony glance, antimonite, and stibine.
Dimorph of:
The most common antimony sulphide. An important Sb ore mineral.
Classification of Stibnite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
2/D.08-20
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
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
2.11.2.1
2 : SULFIDES
11 : AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 2:3
2 : SULFIDES
11 : AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 2:3
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
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
Physical Properties of Stibnite
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}
Perfect on {010}, imperfect on {100}{110}
Fracture:
Sub-Conchoidal
Density:
4.63 g/cm3 (Measured) 4.625 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Stibnite
Type:
Anisotropic
Anisotropism:
Strong
Reflectivity:
| 400nm | R1=31.1% | R2= 53.3% |
| 420nm | R1=30.8% | R2= 53.2% |
| 440nm | R1=30.6% | R2= 53.0% |
| 460nm | R1=30.7% | R2= 52.8% |
| 480nm | R1=31.0% | R2= 52.2% |
| 500nm | R1=31.2% | R2= 51.1% |
| 520nm | R1=31.4% | R2= 49.7% |
| 540nm | R1=31.2% | R2= 48.5% |
| 560nm | R1=30.8% | R2= 47.2% |
| 580nm | R1=30.3% | R2= 45.8% |
| 600nm | R1=29.7% | R2= 44.5% |
| 620nm | R1=29.3% | R2= 43.5% |
| 640nm | R1=29.2% | R2= 42.6% |
| 660nm | R1=29.4% | R2= 41.8% |
| 680nm | R1=29.6% | R2= 41.1% |
| 700nm | R1=29.4% | R2= 40.3% |
Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Top of box is 100%. Peak reflectance is 53.3%.
R1 shown in black, R2 shown in red
Colour in reflected light:
white
Chemical Properties of Stibnite
Formula:
Sb2S3
Elements listed in formula:
Crystallography of Stibnite
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):
mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Cell Parameters:
a = 11.229 Å, b = 11.31 Å, c = 3.8389 Å
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}
Crystallographic forms of Stibnite
Crystal Atlas:
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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)
3d models and HTML5 code kindly provided by
www.smorf.nl.
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Edge Lines | Miller Indicies | Axes
Transparency
Opaque | Translucent | Transparent
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Along a-axis | Along b-axis | Along c-axis | Start rotation | Stop rotation
Toggle
Edge Lines | Miller Indicies | Axes
Transparency
Opaque | Translucent | Transparent
View
Along a-axis | Along b-axis | Along c-axis | Start rotation | Stop rotation
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
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Radiation - Copper Kα
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 5.052 | (55) |
| 3.573 | (65) |
| 3.556 | (70) |
| 3.053 | (95) |
| 2.764 | (100) |
| 2.680 | (50) |
| 2.525 | (45) |
Relationship of Stibnite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Group:
| Antimonselite | Sb2Se3 |
| Bismuthinite | Bi2S3 |
| Guanajuatite | Bi2Se3 |
| 2.DB.05 | Antimonselite | Sb2Se3 |
| 2.DB.05 | Bismuthinite | Bi2S3 |
| 2.DB.05 | Guanajuatite | Bi2Se3 |
| 2.DB.05 | Metastibnite | Sb2S3 |
| 2.DB.05 | Pääkkönenite | Sb2AsS2 |
| 2.DB.10 | Ottemannite | beta Sn2S3 |
| 2.DB.10 | Suredaite | PbSnS3 |
| 2.DB.15 | Bowieite | (Rh,Ir,Pt)2S3 |
| 2.DB.15 | Kashinite | (Ir,Rh)2S3 |
| 2.DB.20 | Montbrayite | (Au,Sb)2Te3 |
| 2.DB.25 | Edgarite | FeNb3S6 |
| 2.DB.30 | Tarkianite | (Cu,Fe)(Re,Mo)4S8 |
| 2.DB.35 | Cameronite | Cu5-x(Cu,Ag)3+xTe10 (x = 0.43) |
| 3.7.1 | Patrónite | VS4 |
| 3.7.2 | Duranusite | As4S |
| 3.7.3 | Dimorphite | As4S3 |
| 3.7.4 | Realgar | As4S4 |
| 3.7.5 | Pararealgar | As4S4 |
| 3.7.6 | Alacránite | As8S9 |
| 3.7.7 | Uzonite | As4S5 |
| 3.7.8 | Orpiment | As2S3 |
| 3.7.9 | Jeromite | |
| 3.7.10 | Laphamite | As2(Se,S)3 |
| 3.7.11 | Getchellite | AsSbS3 |
| 3.7.12 | Wakabayashilite | [(As,Sb)6S9][As4S5] |
| 3.7.13 | Pääkkönenite | Sb2AsS2 |
| 3.7.15 | Metastibnite | Sb2S3 |
| 3.7.16 | Tellurantimony | Sb2Te3 |
| 3.7.17 | Bismuthinite | Bi2S3 |
| 3.7.18 | Nevskite | Bi(Se,S) |
| 3.7.19 | Guanajuatite | Bi2Se3 |
| 3.7.21 | Ikunolite | Bi4(S,Se)3 |
| 3.7.22 | Laitakarite | Bi4Se2S |
| 3.7.23 | Poubaite | PbBi2(Se,Te,S)4 |
| 3.7.24 | Tellurobismuthite | Bi2Te3 |
| 3.7.25 | Součekite | PbCuBi(S,Se)3 |
| 3.7.26 | Tsumoite | BiTe |
| 3.7.27 | Pilsenite | Bi4Te3 |
| 3.7.28 | Hedleyite | Bi7Te3 |
| 3.7.29 | Tetradymite | Bi2Te2S |
| 3.7.30 | Joséite | Bi4TeS2 |
| 3.7.31 | Joséite-B | Bi4Te2S |
| 3.7.32 | Ingodite | Bi2TeS |
| 3.7.33 | Sulphotsumoite | Bi3Te2S |
| 3.7.34 | Kawazulite | Bi2Te2Se |
| 3.7.36 | Skippenite | Bi2TeSe2 |
| 3.7.37 | Kochkarite | PbBi4Te7 |
| 3.7.38 | Rucklidgeite | PbBi2Te4 |
| 3.7.39 | Aleksite | PbBi2Te2S2 |
| 3.7.40 | Junoite | Cu2Pb3Bi8(S,Se)16 |
Other Names for Stibnite
Name in Other Languages:
Other Information
Thermal Behaviour:
Melts at 546°C
Special Storage/
Display Requirements:
Display Requirements:
Stibnite is a very soft delicate mineral and should be kept in a container with a very soft cushion like cotton and not allowed to rub up against the sides of the box. Stibnite is a bit like graphite in that it will leave a streak when rubbed against paper. Over a period of many years, brilliant surfaces of freshly mined stibnite will become less shiny.
Health Risks:
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.
Kyono, A., Kimata, M., Matsuhisa, M., Miyashita, Y. and Okamoto, K. (2002) Low-temperature crystal structures of stibnite implying orbital overlap of Sb 5s2 inert pair electrons. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals, 29, 254–260.
Kuze, S., Du Boulay, D., Ishizawa, N., Saiki, A. and Pring, A. (2004) X-ray diffraction evidence for a monoclinic form of stibnite, Sb2S3, below 290 K. American Mineralogist, 89, 1022–1025.
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.
Kyono, A., Kimata, M., Matsuhisa, M., Miyashita, Y. and Okamoto, K. (2002) Low-temperature crystal structures of stibnite implying orbital overlap of Sb 5s2 inert pair electrons. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals, 29, 254–260.
Kuze, S., Du Boulay, D., Ishizawa, N., Saiki, A. and Pring, A. (2004) X-ray diffraction evidence for a monoclinic form of stibnite, Sb2S3, below 290 K. American Mineralogist, 89, 1022–1025.
Internet Links for Stibnite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-3782.html
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Specimens:
The following Stibnite specimens are currently listed for sale on minfind.com.
Puits St. Paul, Nades, Allier, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France