Bismuth Specimen

This unworldly looking crystal belongs to the rhombohedral crystal system, essentially a stacked staircase of distorted cubes. Its unique gasoline-like iridescence is caused by an oxidized outer layer reflecting light kind of like the rainbows you see on bubbles. Bismuth in both metal and crystal form is Bismuth-209 which is slightly radioactive but don’t worry not harmful! These specimens on the market are primarily lab grown because Bismuth must be very pure in order to crystalize and incredibly rare but still an affordable must have in everyone’s collection. Looks like something from an alien planet

Hardness: 2 – 2.5
Composition: Bi