Bismuth Rainbow Crystal Staircase - 1.792" campo 01" fossil Ginkgo cranei leaf

01" fossil Ginkgo cranei leaf from the Sentinel Butte Formation in North Dakota

Mounted on a natural geometric wood base

This specimen is a travertine speleothem cross-section

known as cabochons

Medium - Medium scutes measure 1

Bismuth Rainbow Crystal Staircase - 1.792" campo 01" fossil Ginkgo cranei leafBismuth is an element (Bi 83) best known for its unusual staircase shape, the result of bismuth atoms attaching to the edge of a rapidly growing crystal. This is called hoppering, when atoms are drawn to the edge of a structure, creating a lattice formation. This specimen is a Bismuth Rainbow Crystal, measuring 1. 792". While bismuth's practical uses are limited beyond some pharmaceuticals, the element's utterly unique colors and shape continue to