Appearance
Antimony is a flaky, brittle solid with a glossy silvery bluish white color. occurring infrequently in granular, leafy, or gigantic forms. Found in vessels containing silver, arsenic, and other minerals, almost all of the time has very little arsenic in it.
Geographical Distribution
Many locations. In Australia, Chile, Mexico, the Czech Republic, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Finland, and the United States
History
Since ancient times, antimony compounds—often referred to by the Arabic term “kohl”—have been recognized. They were powdered and used in medicine and cosmetics. Vannoccio Biringuccio wrote the first recorded account of the metalloid in the West in 1540.
Chemical Composition
Mainly found in nature as the sulfide mineral stibnite (Sb2S3), it is a glossy gray metalloid.
Uses
Paints, enamels, glass, ceramics, and flame-retardant materials are all made with antimony compounds.
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