Stibnite
Stibnite
Socialist Union of Popular Forces
<catset>Category="Sulfide minerals"</catset><right><p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=250 style="margin-left:1em"><tr align=center bgcolor=#9966ff><th colspan=2 align=center>Stibnite</th></tr><tr align=center><th colspan=2>[image]</th></tr><tr align=center bgcolor=#9966ff><th colspan=2>General</th></tr><tr><td>Category</td><td><a href="Mineral">Mineral</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="Chemical formula">Chemical formula</a></td><td><a href="Antimony">Antimony</a> <a href="Sulfide">Sulfide</a> (Sb<sub>2</sub>S<sub>3</sub>)</td></tr><tr align=center bgcolor=#9966ff><th colspan=2>Identification</th></tr><tr><td>Colour </td><td>Steel gray to dull gray. Black iridiscent <a href="Tarnish">Tarnish</a> may be present.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="Crystal habit">Crystal habit</a> </td><td>Massive, radiationg and elongated crystals. Massive and granular.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="Crystal structure">Crystal system</a> </td><td>Orthorhombic</td></tr><tr><td><a href="Cleavage (crystal)">Cleavage</a></td><td>Perfect</td></tr><tr><td><a href="Fracture">Fracture</a></td><td>Small-scale subconchoidal</td></tr><tr><td><a href="Mohs scale of mineral hardness">Mohs Scale</a> hardness </td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>Luster</td><td>Splendent on fresh crystals surfaces, otherwise metallic</td></tr><tr><td><a href="Refractive index">Refractive index</a></td><td>Opaque</td></tr><tr><td><a href="Pleochroism">Pleochroism</a></td><td>N/A</td></tr><tr><td><a href="Streak">Streak</a></td><td>Similar to colour</td></tr><tr><td><a href="Relative density">Specific gravity</a></td><td>4.56 - 4.62</td></tr><tr><td><a href="Fusibility">Fusibility</a></td><td>?</td></tr><tr><td><a href="Soluble">Solubility</a></td><td>Souluble in <a href="Hydrochloric acid">Hydrochloric acid</a></td></tr><tr align=center bgcolor=#9966ff><th colspan=2>Major varieties</th></tr><tr><td>Metastibnite </td><td>Earthy, reddish deposits</td></tr></table><p></right> <b>Stibnite</b>, sometimes also called <b>antimonite</b>, is a <a href="Sulfide">Sulfide</a> <a href="Mineral">Mineral</a>. It crystallizes in the orthorhombic system, has <a href="Hardness">Hardness</a> 2 and a grey colour. Its chemical composition is described by the formula Sb<sub>2</sub>S<sub>3</sub><p>Stibnite is the most important source for the rare <a href="Metal">Metal</a> <a href="Antimony">Antimony</a>. It is soluble in <a href="Hydrochloric acid">Hydrochloric acid</a>, and is tarnished by potassium hydroxide solution.<p>Small deposits of Stibnite are common, large ones are rare. It occurs in <a href="Canada">Canada</a>, <a href="Mexico">Mexico</a>, <a href="Peru">Peru</a>, <a href="Japan">Japan</a>, <a href="China">China</a>, <a href="Germany">Germany</a>, <a href="Romania">Romania</a>, <a href="Italy">Italy</a>, <a href="France">France</a>, <a href="England">England</a>, <a href="Algeria">Algeria</a>, and <a href="Kalimantan">Kalimantan</a>, <a href="Borneo">Borneo</a>. In the <a href="United States">United States</a> it is found in <a href="Arkansas">Arkansas</a>, <a href="Idaho">Idaho</a>, <a href="Nevada">Nevada</a>, <a href="California">California</a>, and <a href="Alaska">Alaska</a>.<p>Spectacular, large iridescent stibnite crystals are found in Japan.<h2 style="margin: 0; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom: 1px solid #aaaaaa; font-size: 150%;">See also</h2><ul> <li> <a href="List of minerals">List of minerals</a> </ul>