UNITED STATES MINERAL RESOURCES 



ANTIMONY 



By M. H. Miller 



CONTENTS 



Page 



Abstract of conclusions 45 



Introduction 45 



Exploitation 46 



Geologic environment 47 



Geochemistry 47 



Mineralogy 47 



Types of deposits 47 



Resources 48 



Identified and hypothetical resources 48 



Speculative resources 48 



Prospecting techniques 49 



Problems for research 49 



Selected references 49 



FIGURE 



Graph showing price and production of antimony 

 in the United States, 1916-70 



TABLE 



8. Estimated world resources of antimony 



ABSTRACT OF CONCLUSIONS 



Page 



46 



The United States consumes each year about 40 percent 

 of the world's supply of primary antimony. Deposits in this 

 country furnish only about 15 percent of the antimony con- 

 sumed, and most of this is recovered as a byproduct from 

 silver, copper, and lead-zinc ores, mainly in Idaho, and as 

 antimonial lead from lead smelters; most of the antimony 

 used is imported from the Republic of South Africa, Mexico, 

 and Bolivia. Identified resources in the United States, here 

 estimated to be 100,000 short tons, are in Western States, 

 mainly Idaho, Nevada, Alaska, and Montana; principal iden- 

 tified world resources, estimated at 5,600,000 short tons, are 

 in China, Bolivia, the U.S.S.R., Republic of South Africa, 

 and Mexico. Future antimony resources may be developed 

 from Mississippi Valley-type lead deposits and from certain 



base-metal deposits in the Eastern United States. The pos- 

 sibility of future production from these sources will hinge 

 on the ability of lead smelters to continue operations and 

 meet standards set to protect the environment. 



INTRODUCTION 



Antimony is a brittle silver-white metal that has 

 a specific gravity of 6.6 and a melting point of 

 630.5°C. It imparts strength, hardness, and cor- 

 rosive resistance to alloys. 



Antimony is marketed as metal, oxide, antimonial 

 lead, and sulfide. Metallic antimony is sold under 

 brand names; each brand name commonly repre- 

 sents metal with a guaranteed antimony content, 

 and an allowable maximum content of arsenic and 

 other minor constituents detrimental to many uses 

 of antimony. 



The largest use of antimony in the United States 

 is in the manufacture of storage batteries. Automo- 

 bile batteries contain as much as 12 percent anti- 

 mony, but most manufacturers now are using 4-6 

 percent antimony alloyed with lead. Very high pur- 

 ity antimony metal (99.999+ percent pure) is used 

 in intermetallic compounds for semiconductors and 

 other chemical applications. Antimony is used as a 

 hardening agent in metals used in chemical pumps, 

 tank linings, roofing sheets, plumbing fixtures and 

 pipes, cable sheaths, foil, and bullets. Antifriction 

 bearings, type metal, solder, and decorative cast- 

 ings of Britannia metal and pewter also contain 

 antimony. "Antimony black" is finely divided metal- 

 lic antimony used in bronzing for metals and plaster 

 casts. 



Antimony oxides are used in paints and plastics 

 as a pigment and fire-retarding agent and in white 

 ceramic enamels as an opacifying agent. With suit- 

 able stabilizers and coloring additives, antimony 

 trioxide glass can be made opaque to all visible 

 light except long-wave infrared rays. 



Antimony sulfides are used in the manufacture 

 of ammunition primers, smoke generators, visual 



U.S. GEOL. SURVEY PROF. PAPER 820 



45 



