There are two naturally occurring isotopes of antimony, antimony-121 and antimony-123. It is more abundant than silver or mercury, but less abundant than iodine. The abundance of antimony is estimated to be about 0.2 parts per million, placing it in the bottom fifth among the chemical elements found in the Earth's crust. The United States produces antimony as a by-product at only one silver mine in Idaho. The largest producers of antimony are China, Russia, Bolivia, South Africa, and Kyrgyzstan, in that order. In most of these minerals, antimony is combined with sulfur to produce some form of antimony sulfide (Sb 2S 3). The most common minerals of antimony are stibnite, tetrahedrite, bournonite, boulangerite, and jamesonite. Instead, it usually occurs as a compound. Occurrence in natureĪntimony is rarely found in its native (as an element) state. It often reacts with materials that do not react with either acid separately. Aqua regia is a mixture of hydrochloric and nitric acids. It does dissolve in some hot acids, however, and in aqua regia. It also does not react with cold water or with most cold acids. It does not combine with oxygen in the air at room temperature. Chemical propertiesĪntimony is a moderately active element. Its density is 6.68 grams per cubic centimeter.Ī metalloid is an element that has characteristics of both metals and non-metals. It is a relatively soft material that can be scratched by glass. The melting point of antimony is 630 ☌ (1,170 ☏) and its boiling point is 1,635 ☌ (2,980 ☏). It can also be prepared as a black powder with a shiny brilliance to it. It has a scaly surface and is hard and brittle like a non-metal. Physical propertiesĪntimony is a silvery-white, shiny element that looks like a metal. The first detailed reports about antimony were published in 1707 when French chemist Nicolas Lemery (1645-1715) published his famous book, Treatise on Antimony. The name comes from the fact that antimony does not occur alone in nature.Īlchemists used secret codes to write about much of their work, so modern scholars do not know a great deal about how antimony was used. 815) probably first called it antimony - anti ("not") and monos ("alone"). Muslim alchemist Abu Musa Jabir Ibn Hayyan (c. The element was probably first named by Roman scholar Pliny (a.d. It was during this period that records about the properties of antimony begin to appear. They thought that antimony could be used to convert lead into gold. But these compounds were not widely used until the Middle Ages when they became popular among alchemists. They have been found, for example, in the colored glazes used on beads, vases, and other glassware. Discovery and namingĬompounds of antimony were known to ancient cultures. Instead, they smolder or do not burn at all. Flame retardant materials do not burn with an open flame. The metalloids can be found on either side of the staircase line on the right side of the periodic table (with the exception of aluminum, which is not considered a metalloid).Īntimony is primarily used in alloys, ceramics and glass, plastics, and flame retardant materials. A metalloid is an element that has characteristics of both metals and non-metals. Antimony was one of these materials.Īntimony is a metalloid. Alchemy contained too much magic and mysticism to be a real science, but alchemists developed a number of techniques and produced many new materials that were later found to be useful in modern chemistry. They also wanted to find a way of having eternal life. Alchemists wanted to find a way of changing lead, iron, and other metals into gold. Not recognized as a chemical element until the Middle Ages, antimony became a common material used by alchemists.Īlchemy was a kind of pre-science that existed from about 500 b.c. The chemical symbol for antimony was taken from the ancient name for the element, stibium. Antimony was also used in making colored glazes for beads and glassware. Women of ancient Egypt used stibic stone, antimony sulfide, (Sb 2S 3), to darken their eyes. OverviewĪntimony compounds have been used by humans for centuries. Note: This article, originally published in 1998, was updated in 2006 for the eBook edition.
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