- Bismuthinite
Infobox mineral
name = Bismuthinite
category =Sulfide mineral
boxwidth =
boxbgcolor =
imagesize =
caption =
formula = Bi2S3
color = Lead-gray to tin-white, with a yellowish or iridescenttarnish.
habit = Slender prismatic to acicular, massive lamellar
system =Orthorhombic - Dipyramidal 2/m 2/m 2/m
twinning =
cleavage = [010] Perfect
fracture = Brittle - sectile
mohs = 2
luster = Metallic
refractive =
opticalprop = Opaque
streak = Lead grey
gravity = 6.8 - 7.2
density =
melt =
fusibility =
diagnostic =
solubility =
diaphaneity =
other =
references = http://rruff.geo.arizona.edu/doclib/hom/bismuthinite.pdf Mineral Handbook] http://webmineral.com/data/Bismuthinite.shtml Webmineral Site] http://www.mindat.org/min-686.html Mindat mineral data]Bismuthinite is a mineral consisting of
bismuth sulfide (Bi2S3). It is an important ore for bismuth. The crystals are steel-grey to off-white with a metallic luster. It is soft enough to be scratched with a fingernail and rather dense.Bismuthinite forms a series with the lead, copper, bismuth mineral
aikinite (PbCuBiS3).It occurs in
hydrothermal veins withtourmaline -bearing copper veins associated withgranite , in some high temperaturegold veins, and in recentvolcanic exhalation deposits. Associated minerals include native bismuth, aikinite,arsenopyrite ,stannite ,galena ,pyrite ,chalcopyrite , tourmaline,wolframite ,cassiterite andquartz .It was first reported in 1832 from the mines of
Potosí ,Bolivia .References
* [http://www.galleries.com/minerals/sulfides/bismuthi/bismuthi.htm mineral galleries]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.