MASSIVE Bismuth Crystal Specimen

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  • Regular price $15,000.00
 

Mineralogy is the proud owner of one of the largest single crystals of bismuth! Good luck finding another specimen that even comes close to this one! A piece this large can not help but show the full spectrum of colors.

Length: ~ 9.0 in.

Weight: ~105 oz

You may have heard of this funky-looking metal. Bismuth, Bi on the periodic table, is a metal first discovered by an alchemist in the 1400s. It was often confused with lead as it is also a silver heavy metal that liquified at relatively low temperatures. Bismuth is used in cosmetics, pigments, and a few medicinal products. It is the active ingredient of bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol).

Bismuth crystals such as this are not found naturally. They have to be put through a laboratory process that gives rise to this skeletal crystal structure and color. Essentially, natural bismuth is heated to its melting point. Here it is separated from any impurities within the metal. The liquid bismuth is then cooled very slowly, allowing crystallization to take place. As the specimen of the newly formed bismuth crystal cools, it begins to oxidize, allowing a full spectrum of colors based on the thickness of the oxide layer. The thickness determines what colors are present.

You will receive the specimen pictured. Colors may vary based on screen size and resolution. If shipping is needed, the cost will be determined after purchase. PLEASE NOTE: Bismuth is VERY fragile.

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