Bismuth Crystals

What is bismuth ?

Bismuth is bismuth I am used to tell the people !
Okay that may be little bit to easy.

Bismuth is a metall and an element belonging into the fifth main group of the periodic system of chemical elements, where you will find nitrogen, phosphor, arsenic, antimony and bismuth.

Bismuth is a rare and strange metall. In the frequency (or better rarity) charts of elements in the earths crust it ranks number 69 of the 75 listed. Only 0.008 ppm (gramms per metric ton) of the earths crust consist of bismuth which is less then for platinum which ranks number 68 with 0.01 ppm. Gold is rank number 71 with 0.004 ppm. This means there is only twice as much bismuth available as gold.
However that are statistics (and as you know Winston Churchill said never trust a statistic unless you forged it yourself).
Fortunately due to its geochemical properties bismuth concentrates in different types of metall deposits, like the Bi-U-Co-Ag formation but you also will find it together with lead and zinc or copper. Bismuth is mined mostly as a by product mining these other more common minerals and as the rough ore or concentrate is shipped to the industrialized countries, some countries like Japan or Germany where almost or absolutely no mining on metalls takes place anymore still "produce" bismuth.
The yearly world production of bismuth is about 4,000 metric tons (8.83 millions lbs) and however the price is not far as high as that of platinum or gold. But compared to stuff like lead, zinc or copper its still an expensive metall.

Atomic and physical properties of bismuth

The specific resistance is unusual high for a pure metall. It also shows the strongest diamagnetism of all metalls and the strongest hall effect.
Very unusual (and very usefull) is the fact that solid bismuth has a lower specific gravity as liquid bismuth. So solid bismuth floats on its own melt like ice on water and expands when crystallizing.
This effect is furthermore only known from water(ice), gallium and germanium.
Solid bismuth is brittle at room temperature and the crystals show perfect cleavage and should therefore be handled with care.
Bismuth is a silver white metall with a slight pinkish hue. Its "semi noble", its not attacked by oxygen or water at room temperature and you need oxydizing acids like nitric acid to disolve it, its not attacked by hydrochloric acid.
Native bismuth occurs in nature as a mineral. Famous locations are Schneeberg, Schlema, Hartenstein in Saxony; Wittichen in the Black Forrest; Australia etc. where it occurs in mostly black (and ugly) crystals up to various cms in size. From Bolivia I got recently a nugget of native bismuth (unfortunately for the gold diggers there it wasn´t platinum).

Pictures from bismuth crystals(lab grown of course !)

bismuth crystal app. 30 mm	bismuth egg	bismuth egg (lcose up)

Growing bismuth crystals

How do you make the bismuth crystals ? Do you cut them or paint them ?
That are the questions people always ask when they see my bismuth crystals for the first time. No, I never cut or paint the crystals, they grow like that. I am a lazy guy so mother nature does the job or do you believe I spend my time with a loupe cutting and painting this little pieces of art ?
The crystals form floating in a supercooled bismuth melt and actual growing time is about 5 - 10 minutes (yes thats quick !). The rapid growth is responsible for this weird hollow forms which are also called hopper crystals. The iridescent metallic colors are caused by light scattering on a thin layer of bismuth oxide which is forming imidiately when the hot crystals are pulled out of the melt and are geeting in contact with the air.
The brightness and color intensity depends on the purity of the bismuth used, which also has a great influence on the quality of the crystals themselfs.
Regular bismuth produces coarse crystals with blueish/purple colors. High purity "electronic grade" material which is much more expensive is used to produce the fine crystallized bismuth with the rainbow colors. However there are some more tricks but that´s the factorys secret !

Buying bismuth crystals

I am not the only producer but I may have reasonable quality for reasonable price and you are buying from the source.

First quality material (rainbow color, fine crystallisation) is sold for US-$ 100.00/kg wholesale.
I sell them in in the standard Denver Box flats with 126, 54, 35, 24 or 12 pieces.
For bulk quantity of 10 kg and over all mixed crystal sizes in a box the price is US-$ 80.00/kg.
Second quality material (blueish and purple) is priced US-$ 50.00/kg.
Suggested retail price for first quality bismuth is $ 0.20 to $ 0.30 a grammm !
Please note that I can not ship single pieces or small quantities from Germany as the shipping cost would be much higher as the price of the merchandise.
For retail orders and small wholesale orders you may contac my agent in California under :

socal403@earthlink.net

Prices may differ as they include the cost for oversea shipping and import charges.

Bismuth eggs are app. henn egg size and are US-$ 20.00 each wholesale, 5 or more are US-$ 18.00 ea., a flat with 12 pieces is US-$ 15.00.
Please note that this are wholesale prices ex works Germany which do not include shipping and import charges. The only place you can buy them from me at this prices is at the shows in Tucson or Denver !
Suggested retail price for the eggs is $ 29.99 to 39.99 (depends on quality) you can buy retail or wholesale directly from my agent in California please contact :

socal403@earthlink.net

Pease note that I can not ship single eggs or small orders from Germany, the shipping cost would be much higher then the price of the merchandise.

How can you get the crystals ?

Best idea is to see me at one of my shows or visit me at home.
If you need quantity please tell me before ! I am usually sold out very quickly !
Prices in Germany and France may be substantial lower as in the USA.
Shipping can be made by airfreight or parcel service to any place in the world. However check custom charges and the shipping costs before !

How can you order ?

Please contact me buy eMail, FAX or phone. All orders have to be prepayed. Checks from US-banks or German banks only, also cash or traveller cheques - sorry no credit cards !
Please get confirmation before sending any money !

What is bismuth good for ?

UNDER CONSTRUCTION !

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© 1998, 1999, 2000 by Udo J.A. Behner