Estibina
Estibina is a mineral with formula Sb₂S₃, in the Sulfuros group. This specimen comes from Mina Wuning, Quingjiang, Jiujiang, Jiangxi, China and joined the Terrium collection in 2025.
Description
Very fine acicular prismatic crystal, metallic silver-grey, with longitudinal striations parallel to the elongation. A lateral branch at mid-height; base with irregular fracture. Clean surface, no visible oxidation.
About Estibina
Ground for millennia to make eye shadow, stibnite gave rise to kohl, a cosmetic applied around the eyes in sunny, dusty environments and historically credited with preventing eye infections. In Egyptian contexts, jars with the prepared cosmetic have been found alongside the raw mineral. In classical Greece it was known as platyophthalmos, "the bright-eyed", but also as stibi or stimmi, referring directly to the black powder. The Romans adopted stibium, origin of the chemical symbol Sb for antimony.
About the locality
The Wuning Mine (Jiangxi) is noted for large, highly lustrous prismatic stibnite, regarded among the best worldwide. Since 2022, export of stibnite from China has been subject to increasingly strict controls, which has greatly reduced its availability.
Technical data
- Catalogue No.
- 0241
- Composition
- Sb₂S₃
- Name
- Estibina
- Group
- Sulfuros
- Category
- Estélites
- Mine
- Mina Wuning
- District / Municipality
- Quingjiang
- Province
- Jiujiang
- Region
- Jiangxi
- Country
- China
- Size (cm)
- 11 x 0.5 x 0.4
- Weight
- 4 g
- Acquired
- 2025
- Etymology
- Stibnite’s name spans more than two millennia. In classical Greek it was stibi or stimmi, and also platyophthalmos ("bright-eyed"), a direct reference to its cosmetic use. The Romans adopted stibium, source of the chemical symbol Sb for antimony. Later names—such as antimonite (linked to an apocryphal 'monk-killing' tale) and stibine—reflect the languages and periods that sought to name and understand the mineral.
- Quality
- Buena
- Value trend
- Estable
Related specimens
- Acantita (Paramórfica tras Argentita) — Marruecos
- Autunita — China
- Azurita — China
- Berilo (Aguamarina) — China
- Calcita (Escamosa) — China
- Calcita — China
- Calcita — China
- Calcopirita (Irisada) — Francia