你知道吗？手机屏幕的耐火涂层、汽车电池的耐用性，甚至陶瓷餐具的鲜亮色泽，都可能与一种名为“锑”的元素息息相关。作为全球多国列为“关键矿产”的资源，锑的身影遍布电子、建材、能源等数十个行业，但其供应集中、开采难度与环保挑战，也让它成为矿业领域的“焦点选手”。今天，我们就借助Azo Mining上的这篇文章来深入聊聊这种“小而重要”的矿产——从它的特性、用途到最新技术突破，一文读懂锑的“前世今生”。
What is Antimony and What is it Used For?
锑是什么？它有哪些用途？
By Simran Arora Jun 18 2025
Antimony is a shiny, silver-gray element with the atomic number 51. Its chemical symbol is Sb, which comes from its Latin name stibium. Due to its distinct physiochemical properties, antimony is utilized across several industries, including electronics, flame retardants, and batteries.
锑是一种有光泽的银灰色元素，原子序数为51，化学符号为Sb，其名称源自拉丁语“stibium”。凭借独特的理化性质，锑被广泛应用于多个行业，包括电子、阻燃材料及电池等领域。
With its growing importance in modern technologies, many countries have listed antimony as a critical mineral due to its limited supply. This has led to increased research on finding new sources of antimony, making mining more environmentally friendly, and improving ways to recycle it. Understanding what antimony is and how it is used is essential to support responsible and diverse sourcing in the fast-changing global economy.
随着锑在现代技术中的重要性日益凸显，由于其供应有限，许多国家已将其列为关键矿产。这促使相关研究不断推进，包括探寻锑的新来源、推动采矿过程更环保以及改进回收技术。在快速变化的全球经济中，了解锑的属性及用途，对于实现负责任且多样化的资源供应至关重要。
What is Antimony? 什么是锑？
Antimony is a metalloid element with metal and nonmetal properties. It appears as a brittle, silvery-gray solid with a metallic shine.
锑是一种兼具金属和非金属特性的准金属，为脆性的银灰色固体，具有金属光泽。
Although it looks like metal and has a melting temperature around 630°C, antimony does not efficiently conduct heat or electricity. It has the properties of a semiconductor, does not oxidize easily, and is relatively stable in air at room temperature.
尽管锑外观类似金属，熔点约为630°C，但其导热和导电性能较差，却具备半导体特性，且不易氧化，在室温空气中相对稳定。
In nature, antimony is rarely found in its pure form. It is mainly found as the mineral stibnite (Sb2S3), which has been the primary source of antimony extraction.
自然界中，纯锑极为罕见，主要以辉锑矿（Sb2S3）的形式存在，该矿物是锑提取的主要来源。
Antimony has many important industrial uses. However, it also raises health and environmental concerns. Long-term exposure to antimony and its compounds can cause respiratory problems, skin irritation, and digestive problems. Continued exposure may lead to more serious effects, including liver and heart damage. Poor management during mining or processing may lead to soil and water contamination.
锑具有诸多重要的工业用途，但也引发了健康与环境方面的担忧。长期接触锑及其化合物可能导致呼吸系统问题、皮肤刺激及消化系统疾病；持续接触还可能造成更严重的影响，如肝损伤和心脏损伤。采矿或加工过程中若管理不当，可能导致土壤和水污染。
Where is Antimony Found and How is it Mined?
锑在哪里发现以及如何开采？
Antimony is mostly found in hydrothermal vein deposits and replacement-type ore bodies, where it commonly occurs as the mineral stibnite. These deposits are often found alongside valuable metals such as gold and silver, making antimony extraction part of larger polymetallic mining operations.
锑主要赋存于热液脉矿床和交代型矿体中，通常以辉锑矿的形式存在。这些矿床常与金、银等贵金属共生，因此锑的开采往往是大型多金属矿开采作业的一部分。
Antimony is mined using underground or open-pit methods, depending on the shape and depth of the ore body. After mining, the ore goes through several steps, such as crushing, grinding, flotation, and sometimes roasting to concentrate the antimony. The final refining step produces either antimony metal or antimony trioxide (Sb2O3), depending on the intended industrial use.
锑的开采方式分为地下开采和露天开采，具体取决于矿体的形态和深度。矿石开采后，需经过破碎、研磨、浮选等多道工序，有时还需进行焙烧以浓缩锑。最终的精炼环节会根据预期的工业用途，生产出金属锑或三氧化二锑（Sb2O3）。
Despite its industrial value, antimony mining comes with environmental and economic challenges. Processing stibnite ores can generate acid mine drainage, and poor waste management may lead to heavy metal pollution of nearby water bodies.
尽管锑矿具有工业价值，但它也面临着环境和经济挑战。加工辉锑矿会产生酸性矿井排水，废物管理不善可能导致附近水体受到重金属污染。
Antimony production is geographically concentrated, with a significant majority produced from a few countries. China dominates global production and accounts for approximately 70–80% of the total supply, followed by other countries such as Russia, Tajikistan, and Bolivia. This heavy reliance on a limited number of sources, particularly on a single dominant supplier, has raised concerns about the stability, security, and resilience of global antimony supply chains. Disruptions in these regions, whether due to geopolitical tensions, export restrictions, or environmental regulations, could pose serious challenges for antimony supply in industries.
锑生产在地理上集中，绝大多数来自少数国家。中国在全球生产中占据主导地位，约占总供应量的70-80%，其次是俄罗斯、塔吉克斯坦和玻利维亚等其他国家。这种对有限来源的严重依赖，特别是对单一主导供应商的依赖，引发了人们对全球锑供应链的稳定性、安全性和弹性的担忧。这些地区的中断，无论是由于地缘政治紧张局势、出口限制还是环境法规，都可能对工业锑供应构成严重挑战。
What is Antimony Used For?
锑有什么用？
Antimony is a highly versatile element, with its compounds and alloys used across multiple industries.
锑是一种用途广泛的元素，其化合物和合金用于多个行业。
Flame retardants 阻燃
The most significant industrial application of antimony is in flame retardants, which account for approximately 60% of global demand.
锑最重要的工业应用是阻燃剂，约占全球需求的60%。
Antimony is typically used in the form of Sb2O3, which, along with halogenated compounds, inhibits the spread of flames. These formulations are widely employed in plastics, textiles, insulation materials, and electronic components, ensuring fire resistance in consumer products and construction materials.
锑通常以Sb2O3的形式使用，它与卤代化合物一起抑制火焰蔓延。这些配方广泛应用于塑料、纺织品、绝缘材料和电子元件，确保消费品和建筑材料的耐火性。
Alloys and metallurgy 合金和冶金
Antimony is frequently alloyed with metals such as lead and tin to enhance hardness, mechanical strength, and corrosion resistance. These alloys are crucial in the manufacture of lead-acid batteries (for automotive and backup power), ammunition (bullets and primers), and cable sheathing (especially for underwater and underground power lines).2
锑经常与铅和锡等金属形成合金，以提高硬度、机械强度和耐腐蚀性。这些合金对于制造铅酸电池（用于汽车和备用电源）、弹药（子弹和底火）和电缆护套（尤其是用于水下和地下电力线）至关重要。
Electronics and semiconductors 电子和半导体
Antimony’s semi-conductive properties are harnessed in the electronics sector to produce infrared detectors, thermoelectric devices, and diodes.
锑的半导体特性在电子领域被用于生产红外探测器、热电器件和二极管。
Antimony-based compounds such as indium antimonide (InSb) and gallium antimonide (GaSb) are used in high-speed transistors, quantum devices, and optoelectronics, where they offer advantages in performance and miniaturization.
锑基化合物，如锑化铟（InSb）和锑化镓（GaSb），用于制造高速晶体管、量子器件和光电子器件，在性能与小型化方面具有优势。
Glass and pigments 玻璃和颜料
Antimony acts as a decolorizing agent in glass manufacturing, removing greenish tints caused by iron impurities. It is also used in ceramic pigments to produce yellow and other colorfast tones.
锑在玻璃制造中充当脱色剂，可去除铁杂质引起的绿色调。它还用于陶瓷颜料中，以产生黄色和其他不褪色色调。
Recent Developments and Research in Antimony Mining
锑开采的最新发展和研究
Recent advances in antimony recovery have focused on enhancing efficiency, reducing environmental impact, and diversifying supply beyond traditional mining.
锑回收的最新进展集中在提高效率、减少对环境的影响以及传统采矿之外的供应多样化。
A recent study published in RSC Advances reports a solvometallurgical process that used ethanol-based hydrochloride (HCl) solutions to extract antimony from poly-vinyl chloride (PVC) waste containing flame retardants. This method achieved ~95% recovery and produced antimony in the form of Sb4Cl2O5 and enabled the co-extraction of organic additives.
最近发表在RSC Advances上的一项研究报告了一种溶剂冶金工艺，该工艺使用乙醇基盐酸盐（HCl）溶液从含有阻燃剂的聚氯乙烯（PVC）废物中提取锑。该方法实现了~95%的回收率，并生产了Sb4Cl2O5形式的锑，并实现了有机添加剂的共萃取。
In the context of ore processing, a report in Science of The Total Environment demonstrated that microwave-assisted alkaline sulfide leaching significantly improved antimony recovery from antimony-rich copper concentrates. They achieved 95.7% extraction under milder conditions by integrating microwave heating, with enhanced selectivity and reaction kinetics.
在矿石加工方面，《总体环境科学》上的一份报告表明，微波辅助碱性硫化物浸出显着提高了富锑铜精矿的锑回收率。他们通过整合微波加热，在较温和的条件下实现了95.7%的提取，并增强了选择性和反应动力学。
Another study in Heliyon investigated the electrowinning of antimony from leachates of low-grade Sb2O3 ore. Using both acidic and alkaline leaching systems followed by electrochemical recovery, they reported up to 89% (acidic) and 97% (alkaline) recovery efficiency for high-purity metallic antimony.
Heliyon 的另一项研究探究了从低品位三氧化二锑Sb2O3矿石的浸出液中电解提取锑的方法。该研究采用酸性和碱性浸出系统，随后进行电化学回收，结果显示高纯度金属锑的回收率在酸性体系中高达89%，在碱性体系中高达 97%。
The ongoing research highlights a shift toward sustainable and efficient recovery technologies, which are critical to secure antimony supply chains.
正在进行的研究凸显了向可持续和高效回收技术的转变，这对于确保锑供应链的安全至关重要。
The Future of Antimony Use
锑使用的未来
Overall, the critical role of antimony in flame retardants, semiconductors, and energy storage technologies leads to the continuous growth in its global demand. However, its limited worldwide production and associated environmental concerns necessitate the development of more sustainable practices.
总体而言，锑在阻燃剂、半导体和储能技术中的关键作用导致其全球需求持续增长。然而，其全球产量有限且相关的环境问题需要开发更可持续的做法。
Ongoing research in alternative extraction techniques, such as solvometallurgy and electrowinning, offers promising pathways for efficient and eco-friendly recovery. Future efforts should prioritize circular economy strategies, improved recycling technologies, and diversification of supply sources to ensure long-term availability and minimize ecological impact.
正在进行的替代提取技术（例如溶剂冶金和电解沉积）的研究为高效和环保的回收提供了有前途的途径。未来的工作应优先推进循环经济战略、先进回收技术研发及供应来源多样化，以保障长期可获取性并降低生态影响。
公司介绍
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