Bismuth

You will receive the piece pictured.

Bismuth is a brittle, silvery-white post-transition metal that, unlike most metals, expands upon solidification, making it a unique element for forming dramatic, iridescent crystals.

The distinctive square-shaped, "stepped" patterns, often referred to as hopper crystals, occur because molten bismuth solidifies rapidly. During this fast cooling, atoms are strongly driven to form edges and corners rather than filling in the crystal faces, which leads to a "stepped" or "hollow" pyramid structure.

The specific 90-degree angular shapes arise because the atoms form a rhombohedral crystal lattice, which encourages right-angled, cubic-like growth. Finally, the brilliant rainbow colors are not part of the metal itself but are caused by a thin, shimmering oxide layer formed on the surface during the cooling process.

All the specimens we offer come with a lifetime authenticity guarantee.

Size: 2 inch