Stibnite

Sb2 S3c 2001-2005 Mineral Data Publishing, version 1

Crystal Data: Orthorhombic. Point Group: 2/m 2/m 2/m. Slender to stout, complexlyterminated crystals, elongated along [001], to 0.65 m; bent crystals not uncommon, rarely twisted.
In radiating and confused groups of acicular crystals; also columnar, granular, or very fine masses.
Twinning: Rare; twin planes {130}, {120}, and perhaps {310}.
Physical Properties:
Cleavage: Perfect and easy on {010}; imperfect on {100} and {110}.
Fracture: Subconchoidal. Tenacity: Highly flexible but not elastic; slightly sectile. Hardness = 2VHN = 71–86, {010} section (100 g load). D(meas.) = 4.63 D(calc.) = 4.625
Optical Properties: Opaque. Color: Lead-gray, tarnishing blackish or iridescent; inpolished section, white. Streak: Lead-gray. Luster: Metallic, splendent on cleavage surfaces.
Anisotropism: Strong.
R1 –R2 : (400) 31.1–53,3, (420) 30.8–53.2, (440) 30.6–53.0, (460) 30.7–52.8, (480) 31.0–52.2, (500)31.2–51.1, (520) 31.4–49.7, (540) 31.2–48.5, (560) 30.8–47.2, (580) 30.3–45.8, (600) 29.7–44.5, (620)
29.3–43.5, (640) 29.2–42.6, (660) 29.4–41.8, (680) 29.6–41.1, (700) 29.4–40.3
Cell Data:

Space Group: P bnm. a = 11.234(3)b = 11.314(2)c = 3.837(2)Z=4X-ray Powder Pattern: Synthetic.
2.764 (100), 3.053 (95), 3.556 (70), 3.573 (65), 5.052 (55), 2.680 (50), 2.525 (45)Chemistry:
SbS

(1)
71.45
28.42

(2)
71.69
28.31

Total

99.87

100.00(1) Wolfsberg, Germany. (2) Sb2 S3 .
Polymorphism & Series:
Mineral Group:
Occurrence:

Dimorphous with metastibnite.

Forms a series with bismuthinite.

Of hydrothermal origin, formed in veins through a wide range of temperatures.

Association: Realgar, orpiment, cinnabar, galena, lead sulfantimonides, pyrite, marcasite,arsenopyrite, cervantite, stibiconite, calcite, ankerite, barite, chalcedonic quartz.
Distribution: The most important ore of antimony, although large deposits are rare. The
following localities have produced outstanding crystallized material. In the USA, at the WhiteCaps mine, Manhattan district, Nye Co., and the Murray mine, Independence Mountains
district, Elko Co., Nevada. From the San José and other mines, Oruro, Bolivia. In Germany,at Wolfsberg, Harz Mountains, and near Arnsberg, North Rhine-Westphalia. At Kremnica(Kremnitz) and Banská Štiavnica (Schemnitz), Slovakia. From Přı́bram, Czech Republic. At
Baia Sprie (Felsőbánya) and Herja (Kisbánya), Baia Mare (Nagybánya) district, Romania. InFrance, at Massaic, Cantal; and at La Lucette, Mayenne. At the Kusa mine, near Bau, Sarawak,Malaysia. From Thames, New Zealand. At Bahar-Lou, near Hamadan, Iran. From Kadamzhay,Kyrgyzstan. Magnificent groups of crystals in the Ichinokawa mine, near Saijo, Ehime Prefecture(Iyo Province), Japan. In China, from the Xikuangshan mine, northeast of Lengshuijiang, Hunan
Province, economically very important; fine crystals from the [?? verify in MR as spelling seems
off, not in mindat.org ?? and Lushi is a Co.??] Lijai Valligy mine, Lushi, Henan Province.
Name:

From the Greek stibi, then Latin stibium, an old name for the mineral.

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References: (1) Palache, C., H. Berman, and C. Frondel (1944) Dana’s system of mineralogy,(7th edition), v. I, 270–275. (2) Kyono, A., M. Kimata, M. Matsuhisa, Y. Miyashita, and K.
Okamoto (2002) Low-temperature crystal structures of stibnite implying orbital overlap of Sb 5s2
inert pair electrons. Phys. Chem. Minerals, 29, 254–260. (3) Kuze, S., D. Du Boulay, N. Ishizawa,
A. Saiki, and A. Pring (2004) X-ray diffraction evidence for a monoclinic form of stibnite, Sb2 S3 ,below 290 K. Amer. Mineral., 89, 1022–1025. (4) (1955) NBS Circ. 539, 5, 6. (5) Ramdohr, P.
(1969) The ore minerals and their intergrowths, (3rd edition), 692–697. (6) Criddle, A.J. and C.J.
Stanley, Eds. (1993) Quantitative data file for ore minerals, 3rd ed. Chapman & Hall, London,538.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted inany form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written
permission of Mineral Data Publishing.