ANTIMONY AND ITS ALLOYS Antimony. — A brittle silver-white metal, having a peculiar taste. It oc curs in nature combined with nickel, silver, oxygen, and sulphur. The com mercial metal is known as " regulus of antimony." The principal source of supply is Borneo and Singapore, whence the ore is shipped to Great Britain, commonly as ballast. Anti mony is extremely brittle, may be eas ily pulverized in a mortar, and when heated in the open air burns with a bluish-white flame, giving off the fumes of an oxide known as flowers of antimony. Among the compounds of antimony the trichloride or butter of antimony, mixed with olive oil, is used for bronzing gun barrels.
The following are among the alloys of antimony: Type metal contains 1 antimony, 4 lead. When used for stereotype plates it contains also AT to h- of tin. This alloy is hard and also expands at the moment it solidifies, thus taking a very sharp impression of the mold.
Britannia ware contains 1 antimony, 9 tin.
Pewter is an alloy of antimony and tin.
Antimony enters into the composi tion of many of the antifriction al loys. Tartar emetic is a preparation of antimony, commonly used in medi cine. The old-fashioned " family pill " was a small bullet of metallic anti mony, which was swallowed for cer tain difficulties, and carefully pre served for future occasions.
Bismuth.—A brittle metal of a crys talline texture and white color having a red tinge. This metal is not often used in a pure state. Among its al loys are: Fusible metal, S bismuth, 5 lead, 3 tin, which melts in boiling water. Bismuth is also added to some kinds of stereotype metal.
The subnitrate of bismuth, a pure white, tasteless, heavy powder, called pearl white, pearl powder, etc., is used as a cosmetic.