Definition

Noun: 1. A specific mineral: A soft, lead-grey mineral with a metallic luster, composed of antimony trisulfide (Sb₂S₃). It is the primary and most important source of the element antimony.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The geologist identified the metallic grey crystals in the vein as stibnite.
  • Stibnite has been mined for centuries for its antimony content.
  • The specimen displayed beautiful, needle-like crystals of stibnite.

Advanced Usage

• In economic geology: The term is used specifically to denote the principal ore mineral for antimony mining.
  • The economic viability of the deposit depends on the concentration of stibnite.
• In mineralogy and collecting: Refers to the mineral species itself, often prized for its distinctive crystal habits (long, slender, prismatic or acicular crystals).
  • Her collection features an exceptional, shimmering spray of stibnite from China.

Variants and Related Words

• Antimonite: A less common synonym for stibnite.
• Antimony (n): The metallic element (Sb) extracted from stibnite.

Synonyms

• Antimonite

Related Terms

• Ore: Stibnite is classified as an ore mineral.
• Sulfide mineral: Stibnite belongs to this group of minerals, which are compounds of sulfur with one or more metals.

Noun

1. a soft grey mineral; the chief ore of antimony