Antimony

Antimony, a metal first discovered in the fifteenth century. It usually occurs in nature as sulphide or trioxide. Commercial antimony is invariably prepared from the sulphide, and may be very conveniently extracted by fusing this ore with metallic iron. The removal of arsenic, which is apt to be associated with antimony, is of great importance where the latter is required for preparing medicines. Antimony is a bluish-white, brittle, and very crystalline metal; S.G. 67; M.P. 425° C. It is not acted on by air at ordinary temperatures, but rapidly oxidises when melted. Antimony is used in the preparation of alloys (Ex. type metal) and also in medicine - chiefly in the form of "tartar-emetic".