It is manufactured for use in safety matches, military ammunition, explosives and fireworks. It also is used in the production of ruby-colored glass and in plastics as a flame retardant.[4] Historically the stibnite form was used as a grey pigment in paintings produced in the 16th century.[5] It is a semiconductor with a direct band gap of 1.8-2.5 eV. With suitable doping p and n type materials can be produced.[6]