Bismuth is a Brittle and White Crystalline Compound with Slight Pink Color
Bismuth is a chemical element
with the symbol Bi and atomic number 83. It is a post-transition metal that
belongs to the pnictogen group on the periodic table. Bismuth is a heavy,
silvery-white metal with a pinkish tint, and it is one of the least abundant
elements in the Earth's crust, making up only about 0.00002% of the crust's
mass.
Bismuth was first discovered in
the early 18th century by a German chemist named Johann Heinrich Pott. He found
it as an impurity in samples of lead ore, and it was later isolated in its pure
form by a French chemist named Claude François Geoffroy in 1753. The name
"bismuth" comes from the German word "wismut," which means
"white mass." The global
bismuth market is projected to reach around US$ 500 million by the end
of 2027, in terms of revenue, growing at CAGR of 6.2% during the forecast
period (2019 to 2027).
Bismuth has several unique
properties that make it useful in a variety of applications. One of its most
interesting properties is that it has the highest atomic mass of any stable
element, which means that it is the heaviest element that does not undergo
radioactive decay. This makes bismuth an important material for nuclear
reactors and other applications where stability is important.
Bismuth
is also a diamagnetic material, which means that it is repelled by magnetic
fields. This property makes bismuth useful in certain electronic and magnetic
applications, such as in the manufacture of superconductors and as a component in
magnetic levitation systems.
Another interesting property of
bismuth is its low toxicity. Bismuth is non-toxic and has been used in
medicinal applications for centuries, particularly as a treatment for digestive
disorders. Bismuth compounds are also used in some cosmetics and personal care
products.
Bismuth is primarily obtained as
a by-product of the refining of lead, copper, tin, and silver ores. It is also
found in small quantities in some minerals, such as bismuthinite and bismite.
Bismuth is usually extracted from its ores using a combination of smelting,
leaching, and electrolysis processes.
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