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A Geoscience Digital Image Library

878.jpg
TitleNative bismuth
DescriptionNative bismuth is a rare mineral. It has a metallic-white color with a slight reddish or pinkish hue on a fresh surface. Bismuth, however, tarnishes when exposed to air and becomes yellow to dark-gray. This is a massive sample, but bismuth usually occurs as disseminated flecks or fine crystals. Most specimens sold in rock shops are man made. They are attractive and popular because they exhibit hopper-like growths in pseudocubic crystals. Artificial coatings keep them from tarnishing. This specimen is 9 cm across.
PhotographerDarla Sondrol. 2001-06-26.
CollectionUniversity of North Dakota Mineralogy Collection #1769.
Key wordsbismuth
Tech details1019 KB. Hand specimen. Fujifilm FinePix S1Pro digital camera; 60mm AF Nikon micro lens.
GeoDIL number878