Mineral · Native elements
Bismuth
Bi
Native bismuth is a rare silvery-pink metal found in small crystals and masses at Schneeberg (Germany), Cornwall and Bolivia. The colourful iridescent 'hopper' crystals sold at every show are laboratory-grown from molten bismuth and are not mineral specimens; they should be labelled synthetic. Natural bismuth is dull, massive and heavy.
| Formula | Bi |
|---|---|
| IMA status | grandfathered |
| Crystal system | Trigonal |
| Mohs hardness | 2–2.5 |
| Group | Native elements |
| Type locality | None |
| Streak | Silver white |
| Specific gravity | 9.8 |
| Reference list | IMA List of Minerals (RRUFF) — verify formula and status against the current list |
Fakes and treatments
Rainbow hopper-crystal bismuth is 100 % synthetic; sell it as a lab-grown curiosity, never as a mineral.
Elsewhere
Cite this article
Stratum Strata. "Bismuth" (Mineral). Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/strata/minerals/bismuth. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-bismuth,
title = {Bismuth},
author = {{Stratum Strata}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/strata/minerals/bismuth}},
year = {2026},
note = {Mineral article, Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21; sources: stratum, commons, wikidata. Accessed 2026-09-21.}
} Citations carry the pack version and the article's as-of date so they resolve to the same text later. The facts themselves belong to the sources listed below; cite those for the science.