Stibnite | |
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General | |
Category | Sulfide mineral |
Formula (repeating unit) | Sb2S3 |
IMA symbol | Sbn[1] |
Strunz classification | 2.DB.05a |
Crystal system | Orthorhombic |
Crystal class | Dipyramidal (mmm) H-M symbol: (2/m 2/m 2/m) |
Space group | Pbnm |
Unit cell | a = 11.229 Å, b = 11.31 Å, c = 3.8389 Å; Z = 4 |
Identification | |
Color | Lead-gray, tarnishing blackish or iridescent; in polished section, white |
Crystal habit | Massive, radiating and elongated crystals. Massive and granular |
Twinning | Rare |
Cleavage | Perfect and easy on {010}; imperfect on {100} and {110} |
Fracture | Subconchoidal |
Tenacity | Highly flexible but not elastic; slightly sectile |
Mohs scale hardness | 2 |
Luster | Metallic[2] |
Streak | Lead grey |
Diaphaneity | Opaque |
Specific gravity | 4.63 |
Optical properties | Anisotropic |
Solubility | Decomposed with hydrochloric acid |
References | [3][4][5] |
Major varieties | |
Metastibnite | Earthy, reddish deposits |
Stibnite, sometimes called antimonite, is a sulfide mineral with the formula Sb2S3. This soft grey material crystallizes in an orthorhombic space group.[6] It is the most important source for the metalloid antimony.[7] The name is derived from the Greek στίβι stibi through the Latin stibium as the former name for the mineral and the element antimony.[3][4]