Word Origin: The word bismuth came from the German term weisse                            masse which translates to, white mass.

Discovery: Claude Geoffroy, a young French chemist, showed Bismuth                       was distinctly different from lead in 1753.

Sources: The minerals bismuthinite, bismite, bismuth glance are the                       largest sources of bismuth. It can also be obtained as a by-                       product of refining lead, copper, tin, silver, and gold                                 ores. Peru, Japan, Mexico, Bolivia, and Canada are                               major bismuth producers

Uses: Bismuth is used in cosmetics, pigments, fire extinguishers,                      detection systems, and medicines. It can also be used as a                        replacement for lead in bullets. Pepto-Bismol is a well-known                  medication that uses bismuth.