ElementBismuth
SymbolBi
Atomic Mass208.9804
Atomic Number83
Name OriginsGerman, bisemutum.
Year Discovered1500
Discovered CreditsDiscoverer unknown, found in German ores.
RemarksBrittle metal, silvery luster with pink tinge. Stable to oxygen and water. Dissolves in concentrated nitric acid. Basic oxide. Used in alloys, pharmaceuticals, electronics, catalysts, cosmetics, and pigments. The radioactive isotope, Bi210, is found as a daughter product of Pb210 from Th in thorium minerals.
Diagnostic TestsOn charcoal alone, or better with soda (Na2CO3), bismuth gives a very characteristic orange-yellow sublimate; brittle globules of the reduced mental are also obtained (with soda). When mixed with potassium iodide and sulfur and fused on charcoal, a beautiful red sublimate of BiI3 is obtained, yellow near the assay. In solution, bismuth is precipitated as white Ba(OH)3 by the addition of excess amounts of NH4OH.
ReferencesEmsley, J., 1991; THE ELEMENTS : Sec. Ed., Clarendon Press, Oxford, 251 p.

Naturally Ocurring Isotopes :

Mass Nuclide Number Natural Abundance Half-life Half-life Unit Decay Mode Decay Mode MeV Decay Mode %
208.980347 209 100 % Stable
209.987095 210 Traces 5,01 days beta - alpha 1,16 50,0 50,0

201 Minerals sorted by % of Bi (Bismuth) :

Bismuth100.00 %Bi
Sphaerobismoite92.89 %Bi2O3
Bismite89.70 %Bi2O3
Sillenite87.81 %Bi12SiO20
Chrombismite87.36 %Bi16CrO27
Ikunolite86.42 %Bi4(S,Se)3
Zavaritskite85.66 %BiOF
Daubreeite84.75 %BiO(OH,Cl)
Joseite83.28 %Bi4(S,Te)3
Joseite-B83.28 %Bi4(S,Te)3
Bismutite81.96 %Bi2(CO3)O2
Protojoseite81.34 %Bi4TeS2 (?)
Bismuthinite81.29 %Bi2S3
Laitakarite80.56 %Bi4(Se,S)3
Bismoclite80.24 %BiOCl
Froodite79.71 %PdBi2
Hedleyite79.26 %Bi7Te3 (?)
Ingodite78.88 %Bi(S,Te)
Gananite78.57 %BiF3
Baksanite78.11 %Bi6Te2S3
Dukeite77.17 %Bi+++24Cr++++++8O57(OH)6(H2O)3
Kusachiite76.62 %CuBi2O4
Sztrokayite76.58 %Bi3TeS2
Smrkovecite76.56 %Bi2O(OH)(PO4)
Eulytite75.16 %Bi4(SiO4)3
Atelestite74.18 %Bi8(AsO4)3(OH)5O5
Cannonite74.10 %Bi2O(OH)2SO4
Hechtsbergite73.86 %Bi2O(OH)(VO4)
Petitjeanite73.77 %Bi+++3(PO4)2O(OH)
Pingguite73.02 %Bi+++6Te++++2O13
Makovickyite71.85 %Ag1.5Bi5.5S9
Nevskite71.69 %Bi(Se,S)
Pekoite70.94 %PbCuBi11(S,Se)18
Telluronevskite69.78 %Bi3TeSe2
Schumacherite69.64 %Bi3[(V,As,P)O4]2O(OH)
Ximengite68.75 %BiPO4
Arsenobismite68.75 %Bi2(AsO4)(OH)3
Pilsenite68.59 %Bi4Te3
Sulphotsumoite68.58 %Bi3Te2S
Koechlinite68.53 %Bi2MoO6
Kitaibelite68.22 %Ag10PbBi30S51
Hodrushite67.38 %Cu8Bi12S22
Preisingerite66.85 %Bi3(AsO4)2O(OH)
Smirnite66.81 %Bi2Te++++O5
Namibite66.51 %Cu++Bi2(VO4)O2
Sobolevskite66.26 %PdBi
Ustarasite66.13 %Pb(Bi,Sb)6S10
Paulkellerite65.84 %Bi2Fe+++(PO4)O2(OH)2
Crerarite65.37 %(Pt,Pb)Bi3(S,Se)4-x (x~0.7)
Mozgovaite65.34 %PbBi4(S,Se)7
Gladite65.13 %PbCuBi5S9
Vihorlatite65.10 %Bi8+x(Se,Te,S)11-x
IMA2001-01764.69 %Cu3.4Fe0.6Bi5S10
Cuprobismutite64.62 %Cu10Bi12S23
Pucherite64.52 %BiVO4
Clinobisvanite64.52 %BiVO4
Dreyerite64.52 %BiVO4
IMA2001-06264.25 %(UO2)Bi4(PO4)O4·2(H2O)
Beyerite64.12 %(Ca,Pb)Bi2(CO3)2O2
Guanajuatite63.83 %Bi2Se3
Tsumoite62.09 %BiTe
Emplectite62.07 %CuBiS2
IMA2000-04462.05 %Pb1.6Cu1.6Bi6.4S12
IMA2001-00261.73 %Cu17Bi17S35
Montanite61.68 %Bi2Te++++++O6·2(H2O)
Chiluite61.56 %Bi6Te++++++2Mo++++++2O21
Skippenite61.50 %Bi2Se2(Te,S)
IMA2000-00461.45 %Bi(OH)SO4·H2O
IMA2001-01660.91 %Cu1.7Pb1.7Bi6.3S12
Kettnerite60.74 %CaBi(CO3)OF
Paraguanajuatite60.41 %Bi2(Se,S)3
Tetrarooseveltite60.07 %BiAsO4
Rooseveltite60.07 %BiAsO4
Russellite59.90 %Bi2WO6
Urvantsevite59.88 %Pd(Bi,Pb)2
Tetradymite59.27 %Bi2Te2S
Paderaite58.83 %AgPb2Cu6Bi11S22
Cupropavonite57.80 %AgPbCu2Bi5S10
Krupkaite57.51 %PbCuBi3S6
Kawazulite57.39 %Bi2(Te,Se,S)3
Walpurgite56.34 %Bi4(UO2)(AsO4)2O4·2(H2O)
Orthowalpurgite56.34 %(UO2)Bi4O4(AsO4)2·2(H2O)
Grumiplucite55.97 %HgBi2S4
Galenobismutite55.47 %PbBi2S4
Mummeite55.36 %Ag3CuPbBi6S13 or Ag2Cu2Pb2Bi6S13
Gustavite55.27 %PbAgBi3S6 (?)
Insizwaite55.05 %Pt(Bi,Sb)2
Schapbachite54.85 %AgBiS2
Matildite54.85 %AgBiS2
Yecoraite54.05 %Bi5Fe+++3(Te++++O3)(Te++++++O4)2O9·9(H2O)
Junoite53.56 %Pb3Cu2Bi8(S,Se)16
Pavonite53.27 %(Ag,Cu)(Bi,Pb)3S5
Lindstromite53.08 %Pb3Cu3Bi7S15
Padmaite52.99 %PdBiSe
Nordstromite52.54 %Pb3CuBi7(S10Se4)
Tellurobismuthite52.20 %Bi2Te3
Borodaevite51.54 %Ag5(Bi,Sb)9S16
Treasurite50.90 %Ag7Pb6Bi15S32
Hammarite50.18 %Pb2Cu2Bi4S9 (?)
Cannizzarite50.16 %Pb46Bi54S127
IMA2001-01550.03 %Cu2.68Pb2.68Bi5.32S12
Polarite49.76 %Pd2PbBi
Paganoite49.45 %(Ni,Co)BiAsO5
Bismutostibiconite49.03 %Bi(Sb+++++,Fe+++)2O7
Schirmerite49.00 %Ag3Pb3Bi9S18 to Ag3Pb6Bi7S18
Horobetsuite48.95 %(Bi,Sb)2S3
Benjaminite48.95 %(Ag,Cu)3(Bi,Pb)7S12
Muckeite48.89 %CuNiBiS3
Berryite48.34 %Pb3(Ag,Cu)5Bi7S16
Watkinsonite48.28 %PbCu2Bi4(Se,S)8
Changchengite48.23 %IrBiS
Felbertalite48.19 %Cu2Pb6Bi8S19
Neustadtelite48.04 %Bi2Fe+++(Fe+++,Co)(O,OH)2(OH)2(AsO4)2
Bismutotantalite47.90 %Bi(Ta,Nb)O4
Parkerite47.69 %Ni3(Bi,Pb)2S2
Cobaltneustadtelite47.67 %Bi2Fe+++(Co,Fe+++)(O,OH)2(OH)2(AsO4)2
Medenbachite47.51 %Bi2Fe+++(Cu,Fe+++)(O,OH)2(OH)2(AsO4)2
Eclarite47.05 %Pb9(Cu,Fe)Bi12S28
Platynite46.75 %(Bi,Pb)3(Se,S)4
Mrazekite46.41 %Bi+++2Cu++3(PO4)2O2(OH)2·2(H2O)
Vikingite46.24 %Ag5Pb8Bi13S30
Weibullite45.43 %Pb6Bi8(S,Se)18
Michenerite44.93 %(Pd,Pt)BiTe
Wittite44.30 %Pb3Bi4(S,Se)9
Aleksite44.25 %PbBi2Te2S2 (?)
Bismutoplagionite44.23 %5PbS.4Bi2S3
Eskimoite44.05 %Ag7Pb10Bi15S36
Bohdanowiczite44.02 %AgBiSe2
Perite43.21 %PbBiO2Cl
Kochkarite43.17 %PbBi4Te7
Friedrichite43.10 %Pb5Cu5Bi7S18
Brendelite43.05 %(Bi,Pb)2Fe(PO4)(O,OH)3
Babkinite42.85 %Pb2Bi2(S,Se)3
Proudite42.30 %(Pb,Cu)8Bi9-10(S,Se)22
Poubaite42.20 %PbBi2Se2(Te,S)2
Wittichenite42.15 %Cu3BiS3
Cosalite42.10 %Pb2Bi2S5
Bismutocolumbite41.56 %Bi(Nb,Ta)O4
Rucklidgeite41.39 %(Bi,Pb)3Te4
Ourayite41.16 %Pb4Ag3Bi5S13
Neyite41.04 %AgCu3Pb12.5Bi13S34
Kobellite40.63 %Pb22Cu4(Bi,Sb)30S69
Garavellite40.59 %FeSbBiS4
Bismutoferrite40.05 %BiFe+++2(SiO4)2(OH)
Mayingite39.52 %IrBiTe
Nuffieldite39.33 %Pb2Cu(Pb,Bi)Bi2S7
Maslovite39.31 %PtBiTe
Uranosphaerite38.27 %Bi2U2O9·3(H2O)
Sakharovaite38.21 %(Pb,Fe)(Bi,Sb)2S4
Bursaite37.58 %Pb5Bi4S11 (?)
Volynskite36.53 %AgBiTe2
Aikinite36.29 %PbCuBiS3
Waylandite35.91 %BiAl3(PO4)2(OH)6
Saddlebackite35.31 %Pb2Bi2Te2S3
Bismutohauchecornite34.75 %Ni9Bi2S8
Maldonite34.66 %Au2Bi
Xilingolite33.93 %Pb3Bi2S6
Lillianite33.93 %Pb3Bi2S6
Soucekite33.06 %PbCuBi(S,Se)3
IMA1999-02832.71 %Bi(Ni,Co)2(AsO4)2(OH,H2O)2
IMA1999-02732.70 %Bi(Co,Ni)2(AsO4)2(OH,H2O)2
Zairite32.31 %Bi(Fe+++,Al)3(PO4)2(OH)6
Arsenowaylandite31.20 %BiAl3(AsO4)2(OH)6
Giessenite30.62 %Pb13(Cu,Ag)(Bi,Sb)9S28 (?)
Pottsite30.59 %PbBiH(VO4)2·2(H2O)
Francisite28.99 %Cu3Bi(SeO3)2O2Cl
Arsenohauchecornite27.60 %Ni18Bi3AsS16
Heyrovskyite27.48 %Pb10AgBi5S18
Asselbornite25.89 %(Pb,Ba)(UO2)6(BiO)4(AsO4)2(OH)12·3(H2O)
Merenskyite24.62 %(Pd,Pt)(Te,Bi)2
Chekhovichite23.26 %(Bi,Pb,Fe)2Te4O11
Hauchecornite22.97 %Ni9Bi(Sb,Bi)S8
Moncheite22.29 %(Pt,Pd)(Te,Bi)2
Geversite21.67 %Pt(Sb,Bi)2
Aschamalmite21.44 %Pb6Bi2S9
Bismutomicrolite21.26 %(Bi,Ca)(Ta,Nb)2O6(OH)
Natrobistantite20.86 %(Na,Cs)Bi(Ta,Nb,Sb)4O12
Kotulskite20.54 %Pd(Te,Bi)
Tellurohauchecornite18.64 %Ni9BiTeS8
Mixite17.97 %BiCu6(AsO4)3(OH)6·3(H2O)
Buckhornite17.83 %AuPb2BiTe2S3
Kirkiite17.75 %Pb10Bi3As3S19
Petrovicite17.38 %PbHgCu3BiSe5
Atlasovite16.52 %Cu6Fe+++Bi+++O4(SO4)5·KCl
Izoklakeite15.84 %Pb27(Cu,Fe)2(Sb,Bi)19S57
Arcubisite15.80 %Ag6CuBiS4
Stumpflite15.43 %Pt(Sb,Bi)
Bismutopyrochlore14.85 %(Bi,U,Ca,Pb)1+x(Nb,Ta)2O6(OH)·n(H2O)
Jaskolskiite13.93 %Pb2+xCux(Sb,Bi)2-xS5, x=0.2
Duhamelite13.64 %Pb2Cu4Bi(VO4)4(OH)3·8(H2O)
Juanitaite13.39 %(Cu,Ca,Fe)10Bi(AsO4)4(OH)11·2H2O
Palladobismutharsenide13.29 %Pd2(As,Bi)
Tintinaite12.77 %Pb22Cu+4(Sb,Bi)30S69
Levyclaudite12.56 %Pb8Sn7Cu3(Bi,Sb)3S28
Owyheeite12.09 %Pb7Ag2(Sb,Bi)8S20
Aramayoite11.30 %Ag3Sb2(Sb,Bi)S6
Larosite9.26 %(Cu,Ag)21(Pb,Bi)2S13
Nickellotharmeyerite8.33 %Ca(Ni,Fe,Co)2(AsO4)2(OH,H2O)2
IMA1998-0187.33 %(Na,Ca,Bi)2Ta2O6F
Nagyagite4.93 %AuPb(Sb,Bi)Te2-3S6
Bleasdaleite1.60 %(Ca,Fe+++)2Cu5(Bi,Cu)(PO4 )4(H2O,OH,Cl)13