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Bismuthinite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Bismuthinite
Formula:
Bi2S3
Colour:
Lead gray to tin white
Lustre:
Metallic
Hardness:
2 - 2½
Specific Gravity:
6.78
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Member of:
Name:
From the composition.
Isostructural with:
Aikinite-Bismuthinite Series. Bismuthinite-Stibnite Series.
The S (or sulfide) analogue of guanajuatite.
Compare 'UM1988-13-S:Bi' and 'UM1988-14-S:Bi'.
The S (or sulfide) analogue of guanajuatite.
Compare 'UM1988-13-S:Bi' and 'UM1988-14-S:Bi'.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
686
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:686:0
IMA Classification of Bismuthinite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
IMA Formula:
Bi3+2S2-3
Classification of Bismuthinite
2.DB.05
2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
D : Metal Sulfides, M: S = 3 :4 and 2:3
B : M:S = 2:3
2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
D : Metal Sulfides, M: S = 3 :4 and 2:3
B : M:S = 2:3
2.11.2.3
2 : SULFIDES
11 : AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 2:3
2 : SULFIDES
11 : AmBnXp, with (m+n):p = 2:3
3.7.17
3 : Sulphides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides and Bismuthides (except the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au, which are included in Section 1)
7 : Sulphides etc. of V, As, Sb and Bi
3 : Sulphides, Selenides, Tellurides, Arsenides and Bismuthides (except the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au, which are included in Section 1)
7 : Sulphides etc. of V, As, Sb and Bi
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.
Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.
| Symbol | Source | Reference for Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Bin | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
| Bmt | The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) | The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) The Canadian Mineralogist list of symbols for rock- and ore-forming minerals (December 30, 2019). download |
Physical Properties of Bismuthinite
Metallic
Transparency:
Opaque
Colour:
Lead gray to tin white
Comment:
Yellowish or iridescent tarnish.
Streak:
Lead-gray
Hardness:
2 - 2½ on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Flexible
Cleavage:
Perfect
Perfect on {010}
imperfect on {100} {110}
Perfect on {010}
imperfect on {100} {110}
Comment:
Somewhat sectile
Density:
6.78 g/cm3 (Measured) 6.81 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Bismuthinite
Anisotropism:
Strong, especially in oil
Reflectivity:
| Wavelength | R1 (%) | R2 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 400nm | 35.7% | 46.2% |
| 420nm | 36.4% | 47.2% |
| 440nm | 37.2% | 47.9% |
| 460nm | 37.7% | 48.3% |
| 480nm | 37.7% | 48.8% |
| 500nm | 37.6% | 49.4% |
| 520nm | 37.3% | 49.6% |
| 540nm | 37.1% | 49.1% |
| 560nm | 36.9% | 48.7% |
| 580nm | 36.8% | 48.3% |
| 600nm | 36.6% | 47.8% |
| 620nm | 36.4% | 47.3% |
| 640nm | 36.3% | 46.8% |
| 660nm | 36.1% | 46.3% |
| 680nm | 36.0% | 45.8% |
| 700nm | 35.9% | 45.4% |
Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 49.6%.
R1 shown in black, R2 shown in red
Chemistry of Bismuthinite
Mindat Formula:
Bi2S3
Elements listed:
Common Impurities:
Pb,Cu,Fe,As,Sb,Se,Te
Crystallography of Bismuthinite
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):
mmm(2/m2/m2/m) - Dipyramidal
Space Group:
Pnma
Setting:
Pbnm
Cell Parameters:
a = 11.12 Å, b = 11.25 Å, c = 3.97 Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.988 : 1 : 0.353
Unit Cell V:
496.65 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Morphology:
Stout prismatic to acicular.
Crystallographic forms of Bismuthinite
Crystal Atlas:
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Bismuthinite - {110}, {010}, {310}, modified
Bismuthinite - {110}, {010}, modified
Bismuthinite - {110}, {010}, {311}, modified
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
| ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0009004 | Bismuthinite | Lundegaard L F, Makovicky E, Boffa Ballaran T, Balic-Zunic T (2005) Crystal structure and cation lone electron pair activity of Bi2S3 between 0 and 10 GPa Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 32 578-584 | 2005 | synthetic | 0.0001 | 293 | |
| 0009005 | Bismuthinite | Lundegaard L F, Makovicky E, Boffa Ballaran T, Balic-Zunic T (2005) Crystal structure and cation lone electron pair activity of Bi2S3 between 0 and 10 GPa Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 32 578-584 | 2005 | synthetic | 0.97 | 293 | |
| 0009006 | Bismuthinite | Lundegaard L F, Makovicky E, Boffa Ballaran T, Balic-Zunic T (2005) Crystal structure and cation lone electron pair activity of Bi2S3 between 0 and 10 GPa Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 32 578-584 | 2005 | synthetic | 2.43 | 293 | |
| 0009007 | Bismuthinite | Lundegaard L F, Makovicky E, Boffa Ballaran T, Balic-Zunic T (2005) Crystal structure and cation lone electron pair activity of Bi2S3 between 0 and 10 GPa Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 32 578-584 | 2005 | synthetic | 3.53 | 293 | |
| 0009008 | Bismuthinite | Lundegaard L F, Makovicky E, Boffa Ballaran T, Balic-Zunic T (2005) Crystal structure and cation lone electron pair activity of Bi2S3 between 0 and 10 GPa Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 32 578-584 | 2005 | synthetic | 5.92 | 293 | |
| 0009009 | Bismuthinite | Lundegaard L F, Makovicky E, Boffa Ballaran T, Balic-Zunic T (2005) Crystal structure and cation lone electron pair activity of Bi2S3 between 0 and 10 GPa Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 32 578-584 | 2005 | synthetic | 7.22 | 293 | |
| 0009010 | Bismuthinite | Lundegaard L F, Makovicky E, Boffa Ballaran T, Balic-Zunic T (2005) Crystal structure and cation lone electron pair activity of Bi2S3 between 0 and 10 GPa Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 32 578-584 | 2005 | synthetic | 8.3 | 293 | |
| 0009011 | Bismuthinite | Lundegaard L F, Makovicky E, Boffa Ballaran T, Balic-Zunic T (2005) Crystal structure and cation lone electron pair activity of Bi2S3 between 0 and 10 GPa Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 32 578-584 | 2005 | synthetic | 9.18 | 293 | |
| 0008968 | Bismuthinite | Caracas R, Gonze X (2005) First-principles study of the electronic properties of A2B3 minerals, with A=Bi,Sb and B=S,Se Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 32 295-300 | 2005 | 0 | 293 | ||
| 0003564 | Bismuthinite | Kyono A, Kimata M (2004) Structural variations induced by difference of the inert pair effect in the stibnite-bismuthinite solid solution series (Sb,Bi)2S3 Sample #3 American Mineralogist 89 932-940 |  | 2004 | 0 | 293 | |
| 0003563 | Bismuthinite | Kyono A, Kimata M (2004) Structural variations induced by difference of the inert pair effect in the stibnite-bismuthinite solid solution series (Sb,Bi)2S3 Sample #2 American Mineralogist 89 932-940 | | 2004 | 0 | 293 | |
| 0003562 | Bismuthinite | Kyono A, Kimata M (2004) Structural variations induced by difference of the inert pair effect in the stibnite-bismuthinite solid solution series (Sb,Bi)2S3 Sample #1 American Mineralogist 89 932-940 | | 2004 | 0 | 293 | |
| 0003561 | Bismuthinite | Kyono A, Kimata M (2004) Structural variations induced by difference of the inert pair effect in the stibnite-bismuthinite solid solution series (Sb,Bi)2S3 American Mineralogist 89 932-940 | | 2004 | 0 | 293 | |
| 0003560 | Bismuthinite | Kyono A, Kimata M (2004) Structural variations induced by difference of the inert pair effect in the stibnite-bismuthinite solid solution series (Sb,Bi)2S3 American Mineralogist 89 932-940 | | 2004 | 0 | 293 | |
| 0003559 | Bismuthinite | Kyono A, Kimata M (2004) Structural variations induced by difference of the inert pair effect in the stibnite-bismuthinite solid solution series (Sb,Bi)2S3 American Mineralogist 89 932-940 | | 2004 | 0 | 293 | |
| 0003558 | Bismuthinite | Kyono A, Kimata M (2004) Structural variations induced by difference of the inert pair effect in the stibnite-bismuthinite solid solution series (Sb,Bi)2S3 American Mineralogist 89 932-940 | | 2004 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 3.967 Å | (40) |
| 3.569 Å | (100) |
| 3.530 Å | (60) |
| 3.118 Å | (80) |
| 2.812 Å | (50) |
| 2.521 Å | (40) |
| 1.953 Å | (40) |
Comments:
Synthetic.
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 3a: Earth’s earliest Hadean crust | >4.50 |
| 11 : Volcanic fumarole minerals; reduced phases (see also #45) | |
| Stage 3b: Earth’s earliest hydrosphere | >4.45 |
| 12 : Hadean hydrothermal subsurface sulfide deposits (see also #33) | |
| High-𝑇 alteration and/or metamorphism | |
| 33 : Minerals deposited by hydrothermal metal-rich fluids (see also [#12]) | |
| Stage 10a: Neoproterozoic oxygenation/terrestrial biosphere | <0.6 |
| 50 : Coal and/or oil shale minerals | <0.36 |
| Stage 10b: Anthropogenic minerals | <10 Ka |
| 54 : Coal and other mine fire minerals (see also #51 and #56) |
Geological Setting:
Low to high-temperature hydrothermal veins
Synonyms of Bismuthinite
Other Language Names for Bismuthinite
Basque:Bismutinita
Catalan:Bismutinita
Dutch:Bismutiniet
Finnish:Vismuttihohde
German:Bismuthinit
Wismutglanz
Wismutglanz
Italian:Bismutina
Polish:Bizmutyn
Russian:Висмутин
Simplified Chinese:辉铋矿
Spanish:Bismutinita
Swedish:Vismutglans
Ukrainian:Бісмутин
Varieties of Bismuthinite
| Antimony-bearing Bismuthinite | An antimony-bearing variety of bismuthinite (part of the solid-solution series with stibnite) |
| Selenium-bearing Bismuthinite | Almost certainly a member of a solid solution series between and guanajuatite. |
| Silver-bearing Bismuthinite | May contain inclusions of silver or a silver-bearing sulphosalt. |
Relationship of Bismuthinite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Stibnite Group:
| Antimonselite | Sb2Se3 | Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma |
| Guanajuatite | Bi2Se3 | Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma |
| Stibnite | Sb2S3 | Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) |
Forms a series with:
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 377 photos of Bismuthinite associated with Quartz | SiO2 |
| 316 photos of Bismuthinite associated with Native Bismuth | Bi |
| 246 photos of Bismuthinite associated with Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
| 210 photos of Bismuthinite associated with Native Gold | Au |
| 167 photos of Bismuthinite associated with Famatinite | Cu3SbS4 |
| 132 photos of Bismuthinite associated with Pyrite | FeS2 |
| 119 photos of Bismuthinite associated with Bismutite | (BiO)2CO3 |
| 107 photos of Bismuthinite associated with Arsenopyrite | FeAsS |
| 105 photos of Bismuthinite associated with Calcite | CaCO3 |
| 92 photos of Bismuthinite associated with Rammelsbergite | NiAs2 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 2.DB. | Stangersite | SnGeS3 |
| 2.DB.05 | Antimonselite | Sb2Se3 |
| 2.DB.05 | Metastibnite | Sb2S3 |
| 2.DB.05 | Pääkkönenite | Sb2AsS2 |
| 2.DB.05 | Stibnite | Sb2S3 |
| 2.DB.05 | Guanajuatite | Bi2Se3 |
| 2.DB.10 | Suredaite | PbSnS3 |
| 2.DB.10 | Ottemannite | Sn2S3 |
| 2.DB.15 | Kashinite | Ir2S3 |
| 2.DB.15 | Bowieite | Rh2S3 |
| 2.DB.20 | Montbrayite | (Au,Ag,Sb,Bi,Pb)23(Te,Sb,Bi,Pb)38 |
| 2.DB.25 | Edgarite | FeNb3S6 |
| 2.DB.30 | Tarkianite | (Cu,Fe)(Re,Mo)4S8 |
| 2.DB.35 | Cameronite | Cu5-x(Cu,Ag)3+xTe10 (x = 0.43) |
| 2.DB.40 | 'Schreibersite (of Shephard)' | Cr2S3 |
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Industrial Uses:
Bismuth ore.
Bismuthinite in petrology
An essential component of rock names highlighted in red, an accessory component in rock names highlighted in green.
Internet Links for Bismuthinite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-686.html
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References for Bismuthinite
Reference List:
Phillips, William (1827) Ueber die Krystallform des natürlichen und künstlichen Schwefelwismuths. Annalen der Physik und Chemie, 87. 476-478 doi:10.1002/andp.18270871113
Beudant, François-Sulpice (1830) Traité élémentaire de minéralogie. Deuxiéme Edition [Elementary Treatise on Mineralogy. Second Edition] (2nd ed.) Vol. 1 - Tome Premier [Volume One]. Chez Verdière. pp.418-421
Rose, G. (1854) Ueber die Krystallform des künstlichen Schwefelwismuths. Annalen der Physik und Chemie, 167. 401-403 doi:10.1002/andp.18541670305
Peacock, M. A. (1933) On Bismuthinite. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, 86 (1-6). 203-211 doi:10.1524/zkri.1933.86.1.203
Ramdohr, Paul (1969) The Ore Minerals and their Intergrowths. Pergamon Press, Oxford. 1174pp. doi:10.1016/c2013-0-10027-x
Kupčík, V., Veselá-Nováková, Ludmila (1970) Zur Kristallstruktur des Bismuthinits, Bi2S3. TMPM Tschermaks Mineralogische und Petrographische Mitteilungen, 14 (1). 55-59 doi:10.1007/bf01081780
Kyono, Atsushi, Kimata, Mitsuyoshi (2004) Structural variations induced by difference of the inert pair effect in the stibnite-bismuthinite solid solution series (Sb,Bi)2S3. American Mineralogist, 89 (7) 932-940 doi:10.2138/am-2004-0702
Localities for Bismuthinite
Showing 2,606 localities.
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The Locality List
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- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
Barbora adit, Knöttel area, Krupka, Teplice District, Ústí nad Labem Region, Czech Republic