Antimony is a chemical element with the symbol Sb (Latin: stibium, meaning "mark") and atomic number 51. A metalloid, antimony has four allotropic forms. The stable form of antimony is a blue-white metalloid. Yellow and black antimony are unstable non-metals. Antimony is used in flame-proofing, paints, ceramics, enamels, a wide variety of alloys, electronics, and rubber. In the comic, it is also the first name of the main character, Antimony Carver.
A common use of Antimony is to render it into Antimony trioxide (Sb2O3), which is used in fire retardant compounds. Notably, Surma Stibnite and her family (including her daughter, the main character of Gunnerkrigg Court, and her grandmother, also named Antimony) are descended from a fire elemental.
Symbol[]
The alchemical symbol for the metal element antimony is 
. This may[1] be a source for the character Annie Carver’s symbol 
; other than being the historical alchemical symbol for the element, the symbol could also be created by inverting and combining with the symbol for quicklime (
[2]). Annie's symbol appears in the comic at the bottom right corner to indicate the end of each chapter and on Reynardine's forehead after he possessed her plush wolf to indicate she now controls him. The necklace that Surma gave her daughter Annie also bears this symbol as a pendant.[3]
According to What's Your Sign, "this elemental alchemy symbol represents animal tendencies found in humankind – a wild nature in all of us – wear this symbol when you are feeling meek – it will remind you of the animal power that dwells within you." Thus it is a symbol of protection.
Additionally, antimony has been associated with the wolf in late medieval texts, called lupus metallorum.[4] This may be significant in relation to Reynardine, given he is Annie’s companion and usually takes the form of a wolf, and is currently inside Annie’s wolf plush.
Trivia[]
The Russian word for Antimony is Sur'ma, which happens to be the name of Annie’s mother. Her last name, Stibnite, is the name of the primary mineral from which antimony is extracted.