Bismuth
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Bismuth was named from the German words weisse masse, later wismuth, meaning white mass in allusion to its native color.

Discovered in 1546; IMA status: Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered)

Chemistry

Chemical Formula:

Bi

Bismuth (native element)

Molecular Weight:

208.98 gm

 Composition:

Bismuth

100.00 %

Bi

100.00 %

Classification

Mineral Classification:

Elements

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

1/B.01-40

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

1.CA.05

1 : ELEMENTS (Metals and intermetallic alloys; metalloids and nonmetals; carbides, silicides, nitrides, phosphides)
C : Metalloids and Nonmetals
A : Arsenic group elements

Related to:

Arsenic Group.

Members of Group:

Arsenic Group: Antimony, Arsenic, Bismuth

Varieties:

Antimonian Bismuth

Synonyms:

Native Bismuth, ICSD 64703, PDF 5-519

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Trigonal - Hexagonal Scalenohedral

Crystal Habit:

Crystals, to 12 cm, but indistinct, commonly in parallel groupings, or hoppered; reticulated, arborescent, foliated, granular.

Twinning:

Polysynthetic, common

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

Perfect on {0001}, good on {1011}, poor on {1014}. 

Fracture:

Irregular/Uneven

Tenacity:

Sectile, brittle

Moh's Hardness:

2.0 - 2.5; Vickers: VHN₁₀₀=16 - 18 kg/mm²

Density:

9.70 - 9.83 (g/cm³)

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

Other:

Diamagnetic. Bismuth is the most naturally diamagnetic element and has one of the lowest values of thermal conductivity among metals.

Optical Properties

Color:

Silver-white, with reddish hue, often with a multi-colored iridescent tarnish; in polished section, brilliant creamy white, tarnishing yellow.

Transparency:

Opaque

Luster:

Metallic

Refractive Index:

R1–R2: (400) 47.0–58.2, (420) 49.3–58.8, (440) 51.4–59.7, (460) 52.9–60.9, (480) 54.4–62.4, (500) 56.2–63.9, (520) 57.8–65.3, (540) 59.3–66.6, (560) 60.4–67.8, (580) 61.4–69.0, (600) 62.4–69.9, (620) 63.1–70.7, (640) 63.6–71.5, (660) 63.9–72.2, (680) 64.0–72.8, (700) 64.1–73.2

Birefringence:

0.00 (opaque)

Dispersion:

n/a

Pleochroism:

Weak

Anisotropism:

Distinct; brilliant creamy white, tarnishing to yellow 

Occurances

Geological Setting:

In hydrothermal veins with ores of Co, Ni, Ag, and Sn; in pegmatites and topaz-bearing Sn–W quartz veins.

Common Associations:

Chalcopyrite, Arsenopyrite, Pyrrhotite, Pyrite, Cobaltite, Nickeline, Breithauptite, Skutterudite, Safflorite, Löllingite, Bismuthinite, Silver, Cubanite, Molybdenite, Sphalerite, Galena, Scheelite, Wolframite, Calcite, Barite, Quartz.

Common Impurities:

Fe, Te, As, S, Sb

Type Locality:

Schneeberg District, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany

Year Discovered:

1546

View mineral photos:

Bismuth Mineral Photos and Locations

More Information

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

Bismuth was named from the German words weisse masse, later wismuth, meaning white mass in allusion to its native color. Bismuth belongs to the Arsenic Group of minerals that includes Antimony, Arsenic and Bismuth. Bismuth is a native element. Native element minerals are elements that occur in nature uncombined with other elements and with a distinct mineral structure. A native element is a pure chemical substance consisting of a single type of atom. Bismuth has only Bismuth (Bi) atoms as opposed to a mineral such as Quartz that has two types of atoms; silicon (Si) and oxygen (O) or other more complex minerals that contain many types of atoms.

Bismuth is rarely found in nature in its elemental form. However, laboratory-grown Bismuth crystals are readily available. These lab-gown crystals are very attractive and interesting and very collectable as each one is unique in color and shape. They are pseudocubic "hopper" or "hoppered" crystals. Hopper crystals are a unique crystallographic curiosity in that just the crystals edges extend outward from the center of the crystal leaving faces that stairstep down toward the center of the crystal. The hopper crystals form due to the disparity of growth rates between the crystal edges and the crystal faces. The lab-grown crystals are also very colorful with iridescent metallic rainbow colors.

Bismuth is unusual in that it is a diamagnetic mineral. Bismuth is the most naturally diamagnetic element and has one of the lowest values of thermal conductivity among metals. Diamagnetism is a form of magnetism where certain minerals are repelled by an externally applied magnetic field, and form internal induced magnetic fields in the direction opposite to that of the applied magnetic field. In contrast with this behavior, some minerals, such as Xenotime, are paramagnetic. Paramagnetism is a form of magnetism where certain minerals are attracted by an externally applied magnetic field, and form internal, induced magnetic fields in the direction of the applied magnetic field.

Bismuth is found in numerous localities, but typically as a minor accessory mineral. From Altenberg, Schneeberg, and Annaberg, Saxony, Germany. At Jáchymov (Joachimsthal), Czech Republic. From near Villanueva de Córdoba, Córdoba Province, Spain. In the Dolcoath and other mines, Cornwall, England. From Uncia, Chorolque, Llallagua, and Tazna, Potosí, Bolivia, economically important. An 11 kg nugget found at Velaque, La Paz, Bolivia. In the Mt. Arthur mine, Queensland, and from Kingsgate, New South Wales, Australia. Large crystals at Natsukidani, Oita Prefecture, Japan. From Cobalt, Ontario, Canada.
 

  
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