222 METALS. 



U. ANTIMONY. 



The metal antimony is occasionally found native. It is 

 usually combined with sulphur, or sulphur and lead. It is 

 also found in combination with arsenic, oxygen, and lime 

 also with nickel, silver, and copper. 



It rises easily in white fumes before the blowpipe with, 

 out odor, and in one or both of these particulars, it is dis- 

 tinguished from other vaporizable metals. The ores fuse 

 very easily, and all evaporate, some giving off fumes of sul- 

 phur. Specific gravity below 7. 



NATIVE ANTIMONY. 



Rhombohedral. Usually massive, with a distinct lamellar 

 structure. Color and streak tin- white. Brittle. H=3 — 

 3-5. Gr = 6-6— 6-75. 



Composition : pure antimony, often with a little silver or 

 iron. Fuses easily and passes off in white fumes. 



Obs. Occurs in veins of silver and other ores in Dau- 

 phiny, Bohemia, Sweden, the Hartz, and Mexico. 



gray antimony. — Sulphuret of Antimony. 



Tri metric. In right rhombic prisms, with striated lateral 

 faces. M : M =90° 45 . Cleavage in the direction of the 

 shorter diagonal, highly perfect. M :e = 145°29' /*. 

 e : e = 109° 16. Commonly divergent, columnar or f^A^ 

 fibrous. Sometimes massive granular. 



Color and streak lead-gray ; liable to tarnish. 

 Luster shining. Brittle; but thin laminae, a little 

 flexible. H =2. Gr=4'5— 4-62. 



Composition : antimony 73, sulphur 27. Fuses 

 readily in the flame of a candle. On charcoal it is absorbed, 

 giving off white fumes and a sulphur odor. 



Dif. Distinguished by its extreme fusibility and its vapo- 

 rizing before the blowpipe. 



Obs. Gra'y antimony occurs in veins with ores of silver, 

 lead, zinc, or iron, and is often associated with heavy spai 



How does antimony occur in nature ? What are its blowpipe char- 

 acters ? • What are the characters of native antimony? What is the 

 crj stallization ana appearance of gray antimony 1 What is its compo- 

 ttiron 1 flow is it distinguished 1 How does this ore occur 1 

 26 



