Antimony is a minor metal whose stibnite is the principle ore mineral. One can find this metal in more than 100 minerals, especially ones associated with mercury, silver, gold and other elements. It is mainly used in plastic and chemical industries as a trioxide additive. A number of products can be produced using Antimony metal ingots, for instance lead-acid batteries and semiconductor devices. It also acts as a primary material of antimony oxide that is used as a fire retardant in household appliances, electronic devices and more.
Characteristics
A pure antimony can be identified by its silver-white color, purity, crystalline metalloid and characteristics, like brittle structure that is not easy to form. It is a poor conductor of electricity and heat, but has the ability to resist acids attack. At room temperature, it remains stable in air. If heated, it reacts with oxygen and form antimony trioxide (Sb2O3). Antimony composes around 0.2-0.5 parts per million of Earth's crust. It is found as sulfide mineral stibnite in more than hundred mineral species.
Derivation
It starts with ores crushing, followed by concentrating by flotation. By iron precipitation, liquated antimony sulfide or sulfide ore is reduced to metal. Volatilized from sulfide ores, Antimony trioxide is subject to reduction to metal in reverberatory furnaces only with charcoal. Hydrometallurgical methods or blast furnace smelting can be utilized for the production of antimony products.
Applications
Antimony trioxide coexisting with halogen is used to make flame retardant system for papers, plastics, coatings, textiles, paints, fiberglass, and rubber. Antimony metal ingots are majorly used with lead for producing batteries, tank linings, ammunition, and bearings. Antimony as a compound finds use in Ceramics, Rubber, Glass and Paint Industry. The metal ingots can also be used as a catalyst in the production of PET products.
