A rare bismuth-bearing sulfosalt mineral with a spherical or rounded crystal tendency, named for its distinctive rounded forms.
From bismuto- (bismuth) plus Greek 'sphaira' (sphere), plus -ite (mineral). The name references the characteristic spherical or ball-like crystal habits these specimens often display.
This mineral's name literally means 'bismuth-sphere'—and nature actually shapes these crystals into rounded forms, which is unusual because most minerals form sharp geometric shapes!
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