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The melting point of bismuth is 271 °C, but it forms alloys that melt as low as 47 °C.

At 83, Bismuth has the highest non-radioactive atomic number.

Bismuth is the most diamagnetic (opposes magnetic fields) of all metals.
You can perform magnetic levitation experiments with Bismuth using our small, high power Neodymium magnets.

Bismuth is a soft, heavy, brittle, and silvery white metal with a pinkish tinge. Unlike most materials, it expands by 3.32% on solidification, a property it shares with water, gallium, germanium and antimony. This is useful in casting alloys (especially type alloys) where it reduces the tendency of the alloy to shrink away from the mold or form shrinkage cracks. Its expansion upon solidification means that the solid has a lower specific gravity (less dense) than the liquid, so that as bismuth crystals grow from the melt, they float to the top of the melt, making it easier to harvest them.

Here's a few images of Bismuth Crystals:

You can make these crystals yourself. See the "Making Bismuth Crystals" experiment on  our Chemistry Experiments Page.

To purchase some of our High Purity Bismuth Metal,
please visit our Chemicals & Metals Page.

Other Bismuth Facts

Bismuth has the lowest thermal conductivity (0.020 cal/cm2/cm/¡C/sec) of all metals, except mercury. Like antimony, its electrical conductivity is greater in the solid than in the liquid state. The metal has highest negativity known. Bismuth has the highest Hall effect of any metal (greatest increase in electrical resistance when placed in a magnetic field), a property exploited in equipment that measure weak magnetic fields, like those of the earth.

Unlike most heavy metals, bismuth is recognized as one of the environmentally safest elements, and is non-carcinogenic. A growing number of industrial applications use bismuth as a substitute for more toxic metals like lead. All in all, Bismuth is pretty neat stuff.