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Heavy Metals
Published in Abhik Gupta, Heavy Metal and Metalloid Contamination of Surface and Underground Water, 2020
Antimony has an atomic number of 51, an atomic weight of 121.760, and a density of 6.68 g cm–3. Its ores are stibnite or antimony sulfide (SbS3), valentinite or antimony trioxide (Sb2O3), kermesite or antimony oxysulfide (Sb2S2O), and senarmontite or antimony trioxide (Sb2O3). Antimony of high purity is used as a semiconductor. Antimony is used in several alloys to enhance their hardness, mechanical strength, and corrosion-resistance, as well as to reduce the coefficient of friction. Some alloys are also used in the electrical industry. Several antimony alloys are used in batteries, cable sheaths, solder, and other items (Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety 2012). Antimony compounds are also used in fire-proof materials, paints, ceramics, and glass.
Sb, 51]
Published in Alina Kabata-Pendias, Barbara Szteke, Trace Elements in Abiotic and Biotic Environments, 2015
Alina Kabata-Pendias, Barbara Szteke
It has various oxidation stages: −3, +3, +4, and +5. More than 100 minerals of Sb are found naturally. It occurs in three types of minerals, namely, sulfides, oxides, and mixed oxides-sulfides (e.g., kermesite, Sb2S2O). Its main minerals are stibnite, Sb2S3, and valentinite, Sb2O3. Antimony is a component of several other minerals, such as pyrargyrite (Ag2SbS3) and bourmite (PbCuSbS3). It may easily form soluble thiocomplexes ( SbS22− , SbS43− ) in various aquatic environments.
Rejection of antimony and bismuth in sulphide flotation – a literature review
Published in Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy, 2021
Leanne Kathleen Smith, Warren John Bruckard, Graham Jeffrey Sparrow
Antimony is found only occasionally as the native metal, but it does occur in nature with sulphur and the metals copper, lead and silver and more than 100 minerals of antimony have been identified. The predominant antimony ore minerals are the sulphide minerals stibnite (Sb2S3), also known as antimonite, jamesonite (Pb4FeSb6S14), and antimony oxides such as valentinite and senarmontite (polymorphs of Sb2O3). Another valuable antimony sulphide is tetrahedrite (Cu12Sb4S13), but as silver can substitute into the lattice of this mineral, it is concentrated for its associated silver content rather than its antimony content. Other antimony-bearing minerals which can be problematic as contaminants in complex ores include the lead-copper-antimony minerals, bournonite (CuPbSbS3) and meneghinite (Pb4Sb2S7), the lead-antimony mineral, boulangerite (Pb5Sb4S11) and the iron-antimony minerals, gudmundite (FeSbS) and berthierite (FeSb2S4).