Bismuthinite

Bismuthinite is a mineral consisting of bismuth sulfide (Bi₂S₃). It is an important ore for bismuth. The crystals are steel-grey to off-white with a metallic luster. It is soft enough to be scratched with a fingernail and rather dense.

Bismuthinite forms a series with the lead, copper, bismuth mineral aikinite (PbCuBiS₃).<ref name=Mindat/>

File:Bismuthinite-136224.jpg

Bismuthinite crystal group from Bolivia (size: 2.9 × 1.9 × 1.5 cm)

File:Maldonit, Bismut, Bismuthinit, Pyrit, Au-Ag.png

This microprobe scan of a quartz-rich gold ore from the Ädelfors Goldmine shows the orientation of bismuthinite and various other phases, mostly maldonite, along trails, probably former cracks

It occurs in hydrothermal veins with tourmaline-bearing copper veins associated with granite, in some high temperature gold veins, and in recent volcanic exhalation deposits. Associated minerals include native bismuth, aikinite, arsenopyrite, stannite, galena, pyrite, chalcopyrite, tourmaline, wolframite, cassiterite and quartz.<ref name=Handbook/>

It was first reported in 1832 from the mines of Potosí, Bolivia.<ref name=webmineral/>

References

<references/>