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Stibnite, sometimes called antimonite, is a sulfide mineral, a mineral form of antimony trisulfide (antimony2sulfur3). It is a soft, metallic grey crystalline solid with an orthorhombic space group. It is the most important source for the metalloid antimony.Sabina C. Grund, K. Hanusch, H. J. Breunig, H. U. Wolf, "Antimony and Antimony Compounds" in Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry 2006, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim. The name is derived from the Greek στίβι through the Latin stibium as the former name for the mineral and the element antimony.
Antimony trisulfide finds use in pyrotechnic compositions, namely in the glitter and fountain mixtures. Needle-like crystals, "Chinese needles", are used in glitter compositions and white . The "dark pyro" version is used in to increase their sensitivity and sharpen their report. It is also a component of modern . It was formerly used in flash compositions, but its use was abandoned due to toxicity and sensitivity to static electricity. *Pyrotechnic Chemical Guide". PyroUniverse.com. Retrieved on 2011-10-14.
Stibnite was used ever since protodynastic ancient Egypt as a medication and a cosmetic. The Sunan Abi Dawood reports, “prophet Muhammad said: 'Among the best types of collyrium is antimony ( ithmid) for it clears the vision and makes the hair sprout.
The 17th century alchemist Eirenaeus Philalethes, also known as George Starkey, describes stibnite in his alchemical commentary An Exposition upon Sir George Ripley's Epistle. Starkey used stibnite as a precursor to philosophical mercury, which was itself a hypothetical precursor to the philosopher's stone.
Small deposits of stibnite are common, but large deposits are rare. The world's largest deposit of antimony, the Xikuangshan mine, yields high quality crystals in paragenesis with calcite. It occurs in Canada, Mexico, Peru, Japan, Germany, Romania, Italy, France, England, Algeria, and Kalimantan, Borneo. In the United States it is found in Arkansas, Idaho, Nevada, California, and Alaska.
Historically, the Roman people used stibnite mined in Dacia to make colourless glass, the making of which ended when this province was lost to the Roman Empire.
As of May 2007, the largest specimen on public display (1000 pounds) is at the American Museum of Natural History. The largest documented single crystals of stibnite measured ~60×5×5 cm and originated from different locations including Japan, France and Germany.
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