FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[David]

Hello,
Can someone please tell me which is the type locality for stibnite? The information I got so far is rather confusing.
Is there someone here focused on collecting stibnite? It is my favourite mineral.
Thanks!

[Jolyon Ralph]

As far as I know it doesn't have one as the original first source is unknown.

[Pete Modreski]

Yes, for sure, it's one of those minerals that "dates back to antiiquity". According to Dana, stibnite (stibium, etc.) goes back to C. Plinii Secundus (Pliny the Younger), Historia Naturalis, A.D. 77.

Cheers, Pete

[Peter]

I used to have a larger stibnite group with 12-15 cm crystals not completely free standing like rumanian or chinese but quite intergrown, from an old Greek locality! Got it in an antique shop in Athens in 1983. Gave it to my sister years ago.

[David]

Thank you for your input.
I am very proud of my stibnite collection and it gives me much joy. At this time I have about 20 specimens and counting. Maybe I will post some pictures sometimes.

[David]

Romanian stibnites are not necessarily free standing. What is remarkable about Romanian stibnites, besides being some of the best in the world, is that they come in a huge variety although they are to be found in a confined mining area.

[Tsinidis Tasos]

Hello all!
Peter
Your note about a 12-15 cm crystals stibnite from Greece is really very interesting.
In fact it would be a crystal size record if you are talking about crystal size and not whole specimen size.I know it's been a long time since you had it but is it possible to remember details (matrix ?)
In Greece the best stibnite specimens were coming out from the now closed Madem Lakkos mine in Chalkidiki prefecture,Central Macedonia.Another notable occurence is at Chios island but crystals don't exceed 2-3 cm at their best.
In foto is a specimen from Madem Lakkos mine.Stibnite from there is embedded in white dolomite and sometimes together with tiny quartz crystals.Was your specimen like this?

Tasos.

[Riccardo Modanesi]

Hi to everybody!
As the biggest majority of you already know, stibnite is found in very beautiful crystals in Italy too, expecially in the Grosseto Province, Tuscany! Pliny The Old quotes those stibnite mines (the region was called Etruria in those times), in his Naturalis Historia.
Greetings from Italy by Riccardo.

[Peter]

Yes, the specimen itself is just about the size of my hand with long crystals next to each other, little space inbetween some. Not from great open vug. The piece had gathered dust probably during some dekades when I got it. It was almost not possible to see the specie and the customes wondered if it was an atiquity when I was to send from the postal office. I also got some fine ligt colored rhodochrosite-or Mn carrying calcite, pyrite/galenite etc. Quite a few specimens, one Serifos quartz fakely planted into a large calcite blade, a big Ilvaite group.
Ricardo, thanks for mentioning the Pliny reference. Possibly Italian or Greek locality is type locality but of course some Rumanian mines were worked very early on and could also be the source.

[David]

[Riccardo Modanesi]

Hi to everybody, hi David!
Of course I do, of course I mean crystals like the one in your collection; even bigger crystals were found in historical times in those mines close to Grosseto. Pliny The Old quotes them among the Etrurian metalliferous mines.
Greetings from Italy by Riccardo.

[David]

Riccardo, maybe you are kind enough to post some pictures of Italian stibnites if possible. Thanks!
Italian minerals are wonderful indeed.

[alex chaus]

Hi, all.
The following are some examples of stibnite specimens of Kyrgyz republic the most famous location.

Alex

[David]

Thank you Alex for showing us those nice stibnites. The first one is absolutely wonderful.

[alex chaus]

David,
some more images about stibnite and minerals after that (stibiconite? valentinite?) not defined in full set accurately. Any idea after visual examination?
Alex

[Jordi Fabre]

[alex chaus]

Thank you, Jordi, for information.
I have read the mindat reference. Visually very close to my specimens but my specimens shows different lustre (from adamantine to dull). Also they have different hardness varied from 2.5 to 5-5.5 even on the same specimen.
Alex