BulkAntimony.com

Did You Know...

Antimony is a "shadow element" that has transitioned from an ancient cosmetic to one of the most critical defensive assets in the modern world. Its properties are as strange as its history:

• The Ancient Eye: Thousands of years before it was used in technology, Antimony (as the mineral stibnite) was ground into a fine black powder to create Kohl, the dramatic eyeliner worn by Egyptian royalty like Nefertiti to protect against the desert sun.

• The "Vampire" Metal: Antimony is one of the very few substances that expands when it freezes (much like water turning to ice). Because of this rare trait, it was used for centuries in "type metal" for printing presses—expanding into every tiny corner of a mold to create the sharpest, crispest letters in history.

• Military Muscle: Today, Antimony is a strategic titan. It is a mandatory component in everything from armor-piercing ammunition and infrared sensors to flame retardants for military uniforms. Because there is no known substitute for its fire-snuffing properties, it is considered a matter of national security.

• A Fragile Supply: Similar to Tellurium, Antimony is highly concentrated geographically. With China and Russia controlling the vast majority of global production, the Western world currently faces a "supply shock" risk, leading the U.S. to label it a critical mineral essential to both the power grid and the Pentagon.

In fact, while it looks like a gleaming silver metal, Antimony is so brittle that you can shatter a pure crystal with a single hammer blow—yet without it, the world's most advanced defense systems would grind to a halt.