Stibnite

It's advisable to handle stibnite carefully to avoid generating dust and wash hands thoroughly afterward. When cutting or polishing stibnite, wear a dust mask to prevent inhaling heavy metal particles. Store stibnite in a sealed container in a well-ventilated area, away from children and pets. For those involved in crystal healing, never put it in your mouth.

The melting point of Sb2S3 is 823 K. The band gap is 1.88 eV at room temperature and it is a photoconductor.

Stibnite occurs in hydrothermal deposits and is associated with realgar, orpiment, cinnabar, galena, pyrite, marcasite, arsenopyrite, cervantite, stibiconite, calcite, ankerite, barite and chalcedony. Small deposits of stibnite are common, but large deposits are rare. It occurs in Canada, Mexico, Peru, Japan, China, Germany, Romania, Italy, France, England, Algeria, and Kalimantan, Borneo. In the United States it is found in Arkansas, Idaho, Nevada, California, and Alaska. As of May 2007, the largest specimen on public display (1000 pounds) is at the American Museum of Natural History. The largest documented single crystals of stibnite measured ~60×5×5 cm and originated from different locations including Japan, France and Germany.

Stibnite has a structure similar to that of arsenic trisulfide, As2S3. The Sb(III) centers, which are pyramidal and three-coordinate, are linked via bent two-coordinate sulfide ions. However, recent studies confirm that the actual coordination polyhedra of antimony are in fact SbS7, with (3+4) coordination at the M1 site and (5+2) at the M2 site. Some of the secondary bonds impart cohesion and are connected with packing. Stibnite is grey when fresh, but can turn superficially black due to oxidation in air.

Stibnite was historically used as a metallic powder applied as eye shadow, though today it is the primary ore for antimony. The antimony mined from stibnite is further used in batteries and semiconductors, and can be used to make flame retardant materials like paint and pottery.

The name is from the Greek στίβι stibi through the Latin stibium as the old name for the mineral and the element antimony.

Stibnite is believed to have transformative energy that helps to align all the chakras, allowing the individual to realize their aspirations and move positively toward their personal goals. It is said that by carrying it or keeping it in your home, it will help to attract the things in life that are most desirable to you. Combining it with other stones is believed to increase its power.