Antimony revisited

Evidence for the occurrence of antimony can be traced back to antiquity.¹ The name comes from the Greek, anti and monos, meaning 'metal not found alone'.² Indeed, antimony is usually found as the sulfide ore, stibnite, Sb₂S₃, the black form of which was used by ancient Egyptian women as a cosmetic for darkening their eyebrows and eyelashes.^3,4 

The earliest record of metallic antimony is thought to have been provided by the 1st century Greek physician Dioscorides in his five-volume treatise  De materia medica, one of the most influential works on pharmacology for 16 centuries. Dioscorides' treatise refers to the metal's potential medical uses, for example in the treatment of skin disorders.  

The art of preparing pure metallic antimony is described in the 17th century work Triumphal chariot of antimony by Basil Valentine which, though published in 1604, is thought to have been written about 250 years earlier.⁴ The process involved roasting stibnite to form the oxide, followed by reduction with carbon to obtain the free element. In 1615 German chemist and physician, Andreas Libavius described an alternative method, in which stibnite was reduced directly to metallic antimony by reaction with iron.  

Other references to antimony followed, notably Nicholas Lémery's Treatise on antimony, published in 1707.