The Antimony is a silver-gray semi-metal extracted mostly from stibnite mineral. In its pure form it is shiny, hard, and brittle, which makes it break easily under bending pressure. This brittleness means antimony isn’t commonly shaped alone but instead mixed with other metals or applied in compound form for reinforcement. Unlike most metals, antimony expands slightly when it solidifies from molten liquid. This unique property historically made it valuable for casting because it filled molds with precision without shrinking gaps. Antimony also resists oxidation better than iron and steel at normal environmental temperatures, meaning it stays stable without forming rust quickly.

Antimony has modern importance in flame-retardant additives, batteries, glass processing, solder strengthening, cable sheathing, pigments, semiconductors, ceramics, and mechanical alloys where long-term hardness is required. It strengthens lead-tin alloys used inside battery grids, preventing fast structural breakdown during repeated charge cycles. In solder and electronics, antimony improves durability even when temperature changes affect structural joints. Flame-retardant antimony compounds chemically interfere during combustion to slow flame reactions. These roles highlight antimony’s shift from ancient casting accuracy to modern energy storage and safety enhancement.