From the CRC handbook of Chemistry and Physics, CRC Press, Cleveland, 55th ed., 1974-75 "The Elements" by C.R. Hammond. page B-8
Bismuth (Ger. Weisse Masse, white mass: later Wismuth and Bisemutum), Bi; at. wt. 208.9808; at. no. 83; m.p. 271.3 C; b.p. 1560+/-5 C; sp. gr. 9.747 (20 C); valence 3 or 5. In early times bismuth was confused with tin and lead. Claude Geoffroy the Younger showed it to be distinct from lead in 1753. It was a white, crystalline, brittle metal with a pinkish tinge. It occurs native. The most important ores are bismuthinite or bismuth glance (Bi2S3) and bismite (Bi2O3). Peru, Japan, Mexico, Bolivia, and Canada are major bismuth producers. Much of the bismuth produced in the U.S. is obtained as a by-product in refining lead, copper, tin, silver, and gold ores. Bismuth is the most diamagnetic of all metals, and the thermal conductivity is lower than any metal, except mercury. It has high electrical resistance, and has the hightest Hall effect of any metal (i.e., greatest increase in electrical resistance when placed in a magnetic field). "Bismanol" is a permanent magnet of high coercive force, made of MnBi, by the U.S. Naval Ordnance Laboratory. Bismuth expands 3.32% on solidification. This property makes bismuth alloys particularly suited to the making of sharp castings of objects subject to damage by high temperatures. With other metals, such as tin, cadmium, etc., bismuth forms low-melting alloys which are extensively used for safety devices used in fire detection and extinguishing systems. Bismuth is used in producing malleable irons and is finding use as a catalyst for making acrylic fibers. When bismuth is heated in air it burns with a blue flame forming yellow fumes of the oxide. The metal is also used as a thermocouple material (has highest negativity known), and has found application as a carrier for U(235) or U(233) fule in atomic reactors. Its souble salts are characterized by forming insoluble basic salts on the addition of water- a property sometimes used in detection work. Bismuth oxychloride is used extensively in cosmetics. Bismuth subnitrate and subcarbonate are used in medicine. High-purity bismuth metal costs about $4/lb.