Saturday, 16 March 2013

Antimony

7:24 pm OHM

Lake George Antimony mine (Consolidated Durham mines; Resources Ltd. mine; Prince William mine; Brunswick mine), Lake George, Prince William Parish, York Co., New Brunswick, Canada
© RWMW

Formula: Sb
System: Trigonal
Colour: Tin-white
Lustre: Metallic
Hardness: 3 - 3½
Member of: Arsenic Group
Name: From the medieval latin 'antimonium', originally applied to stibnite. The etymology is uncertain; the popular etymology, from ἀντίμοναχός anti-monachos or French antimoine, still has adherents; this would mean "monk-killer", and is explained by many early alchemists being monks, and antimony being poisonous. Another popular etymology is the hypothetical Greek word ἀντίμόνος antimonos, "against aloneness", explained as "not found as metal", or "not found unalloyed" [from Wikipedia].

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Type Occurrence of Antimony

Type Locality: Sala Silver Mine, Sala, Västmanland, Sweden

Occurrences of Antimony

Geological Setting: Hydrothermal veins

Physical Properties of Antimony

Lustre: Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency): Opaque
Colour: Tin-white
Streak: Grey
Hardness (Mohs): 3 - 3½
Hardness (Vickers): VHN100=50 - 69 kg/mm2
Tenacity: Brittle
Cleavage: Perfect
Perfect and easy on {0001}, distinct on {1011}, imperfect on {1014} and indistinct on {1120}.
Fracture: Irregular/Uneven
Density (measured): 6.61 - 6.71 g/cm3
Density (calculated): 6.697 g/cm3

Chemical Properties of Antimony

Formula: Sb
Essential elements: Sb
All elements listed in formula: Sb
Common Impurities: As

Photo:

This sample of antimony is displayed in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Metallic antimony is found in the Conols mine, Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia. This sample is about 8 x 10 cm.

More Info > Mindat: Antimony