Bismuth

Bismuth is a chemical element with the symbol Bi and atomic number 83. It is a post-transition metal and one of the pnictogens, with chemical properties resembling its lighter group 15 siblings arsenic and antimony. Bismuth is mainly a byproduct of lead ore processing.

It has a metallic luster and is silver-white with an iridescent tarnish. Among the heavy metals, it is the heaviest and the only non-toxic. Bismuth has been used in solders, a variety of other alloys, metallurgical additives, and medications and in atomic research.

Hydrogen

Identity.

Bismuth has been known since the Middle Ages. A German monk named Basil Valentine first described it in 1450. It is often found uncombined with other elements, forming indistinct crystals, often in parallel groupings. It is hard, brittle, and lustrous. It is also found in grains and as foliated masses.

History.

Bismuth has been known since ancient times and was used by the Egyptians as early as 3000 BC. The metal was first isolated in 1753 by the German chemist Johann Heinrich Pott. Bismuth is found in nature as the free metal and as a component of various minerals, including bismuthinite, bismutite, and bismuth ochre.

It has been known since ancient times, but it was often confused with lead, antimony, and tin. Bismuth was first recognized as a distinct element by the French chemist Claude François Geoffroy in 1753. Bismuth is mainly found in ores such as bismuthinite and bismite, and it is also produced as a by-product of lead, copper, tin, and silver refining.

Paracelsus

Usage.

Bismuth has various applications in medicine, cosmetics, alloys, and electronics. Bismuth is used in a variety of applications, including:

  • Low-melting alloys: Bismuth is used in low-melting alloys, such as Wood's metal and Rose's metal, which are used in fire alarms, sprinkler systems, and other safety devices.
  • Soldering: Bismuth is used as a component of solder, which is used to join metal surfaces together.
  • Pharmaceuticals: Bismuth compounds are used in a variety of pharmaceutical applications, including as an antacid, an antidiarrheal, and a treatment for syphilis.
  • Cosmetics: Bismuth compounds are used in some cosmetics, such as eye shadow and lipstick, to give them a pearly luster.

Bismuth is a relatively non-toxic metal, but it can be harmful if ingested in large quantities. Symptoms of bismuth poisoning include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

Sources.

Bismuth is found in nature primarily as the mineral bismuthinite, which is a sulfide of bismuth. Bismuth is also found in other minerals, such as bismutite, bismuthinite, and tetradymite. The primary sources of bismuth are the mines in China, Peru, and Mexico.