Bismuth crystals?

[FramFramson]

So, someone recently brought Bismuth cryustals to my attention. If you do a Google image search, you see how neat they look. You can also see them compared to a 1 cm cube in the Wiki article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bismuth

They are apparently significantly less toxic than lead, in spite of being a heavy metal (or would that be 'eavy metal?  ).

Has anyone ever though about incorporating Bismuth crystals into terrain? I don't know about any of you but these seem great for lovecraftian temples, alien landscapes, strange and unknowable lost ruins and the like.

[Hammers]

Has anyone ever though about incorporating Bismuth crystals into terrain?

Yes, in the shape of gaming miniatures. Bismuth is a very common component in what we call 'white metal'. But I am being facetious, it what not what you were asking about...

[FramFramson]

 

Still, seems like there's some real potential here:

[nic-e]

you show me where to get hold of 'em ,and il find a use for 'em. 

[FramFramson]

Apparently you can grow them yourself fairly easily!

[Rob_bresnen]

I think the look quite Lovecraftian- impossible angles and so on. very cool.

[Hammers]

Very H R Giger,

[Daeothar]

Yes; the 'impossible' angles make for awesome terrain potential for the weird and unknown. I'm thinking Necrons, Dark Eldar, Lovecraftian alternate dimensions, Borg, pulpy alien-linked Egyptian stuff, Chaos Abyss, Escher nightmare or even something out of the 2001 universe...

Cool stuff!

How large are those pieces you posted pics of?

[FramFramson]

Yes; the 'impossible' angles make for awesome terrain potential for the weird and unknown. I'm thinking Necrons, Dark Eldar, Lovecraftian alternate dimensions, Borg, pulpy alien-linked Egyptian stuff, Chaos Abyss, Escher nightmare or even something out of the 2001 universe...

Cool stuff!

How large are those pieces you posted pics of?

The cube in the first picture is 1 cm³. In a few other pics, you can see a hand. There's also this:



So they tend to be smallish. But I'm sure there are tricks that can increase or decrease size a bit (temperature seems to be a big part of that).

Googling gives some good instructions, such as the ones here: http://www.amazingrust.com/Experiments/how_to/Bismuth_Crystals.html

Or there are folks that sell pre-grown crystals.

[nic-e]

gotta get my hands on some bismuth then .....
it's a byproduct of lead production ,so im sure if you have some sort of smelting plant nearby you could call them up and see what they do with it.

[Glitzer]

I like the oxide hues, maybe I have to try to find some myself.

[HerbyF]

I had piles of this stuff when I was a teenager. It was waste slag from a metals processer. Used to cut it up & polish it to make jewlery.

[nic-e]

I was waste slag from a metals processer.
[/quote

you've come a long way 

[Hammers]

I was waste slag from a metals processer.
[/quote

you've come a long way 

 

[Bergil]

I'd love to have some on the shelf, let alone on the gaming table.