Stibnite
Sulfide · Sb₂S₃
Stibnite is antimony sulfide, forming dramatic bundles of long, bladed, steel-grey metallic crystals sought after by collectors.
What is stibnite?
Stibnite is antimony trisulfide and the main ore of antimony. It is famous among collectors for spectacular sprays of long, slender, striated metallic blades with a bright steel-grey shine. It is soft and the crystals are easily bent or damaged, so fine specimens are prized.
Properties
- Chemical formula
- Sb₂S₃
- Category
- Sulfide
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 2
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Lustre
- Metallic
- Streak
- Lead-grey
- Colour
- Steel-grey to lead-grey
- Cleavage / fracture
- Perfect lengthwise
How to identify stibnite
- →Long, slender, bladed or needle-like steel-grey metallic crystals.
- →Lengthwise striations along the blades.
- →Very soft, hardness 2, and easily bent.
- →Grey streak.
Where stibnite is found
The finest stibnite comes from Japan (Ichinokawa) and China; it also occurs in Romania, France and the western USA.
Stibnite finds on minShelf
Real specimens catalogued by collectors.
Think you've found stibnite?
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