| Antimony is known from high antiquity. Oriental countries were familiar with Antimony houseware at least as early as 3000 BC. In ancient Egypt in 19th century BC antimonite powder (natural Sb2S3) called mesten or stem was used for eyebrows blacking. In ancient Greek it was known as as stimi and stibi, from which Latin stibium derived. This element is called antimonium since 12-14 centuries BC. In 1789 Lavoisier put Antimony into the chemical elements list under the name antimoine related to English antimony. Spanish and Italian antimonio, German Antimon. Russian "surma" appears from Turkish powder surme, lead glance PbS, also used for eyebrows blacking (alternative interpretation: comes from Persian word "surma" which means "metal"). 15th century German alchemist Basilius Valentinus, also known as Basil Valentine, gave detailed description of antimony's properties and extraction methods. |
Average crustal abundance of antimony is 5x10-5 % by mass. Antimony is dispersed in magma and biosphere. It is concentrated in hydrothermal sources from hot underground waters. Antimony forms its own deposits as well as antimony-mercury, antimony-lead, gold-antimony, antimony-tungsten ones. Among 27 antimonial minerals stibnite, sometimes also called antimonite (Sb2S3) is the most important commercially. Due to its sulphur affinity antimony often forms an impurity in sulphides of such elements as arsenic, bismuth, nickel, lead, mercury, argentum and others elements.
Antimony& |