Cassiterite
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| Cassiterite | |
 Cassiterite crystals |
|
| General | |
|---|---|
| Category | Mineral |
| Chemical formula | SnO2 |
| Identification | |
| Color | purple, wine, black, reddish brown or yellow |
| Crystal habit | Pyramidic, prismatic |
| Crystal system | tetragonal; 4/m 2/m 2/m |
| Cleavage | good in two directions forming prisms, poor in a third (basal) |
| Fracture | Subconchoidal to rough |
| Mohs Scale hardness | 6 - 7 |
| Luster | adamantine or greasy |
| Streak | White to brownish |
| Specific gravity | 6.4 - 7.1 |
| Pleochroism | None |
| Fusibility | infusible |
| Solubility | insoluble |
| Other characteristics | high refractive index of approximately 2.0 |
Cassiterite is a tin oxide mineral, SnO2. It is generally opaque but is translucent in thin crystals. Its luster and multiple crystal faces produce a desirable gem. Cassiterite is the chief ore of tin today.
[edit] Occurrence
Most sources of cassiterite today are found in alluvial or placer deposits containing the resistant weathered grains. The best source of primary cassiterite is the tin mines of Bolivia, where it is found in hydrothermal veins. Fighting over Cassiterite deposits is a major cause of the conflict waged in eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[1][2]
Cassiterite is a widespread minor constituent of igneous rocks. The Bolivia veins and the old exhausted workings of Cornwall, England, are concentrated in high temperature quartz veins and pegmatites associated with granitic intrusives. The veins commonly contain tourmaline, topaz, fluorite, apatite, wolframite, molybdenite, and arsenopyrite. The current major tin production comes from placer or alluvial deposits in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Russia. Hydraulic mining methods are used to concentrate the fine particles of ore.
[edit] Crystallography
Crystal twinning is common in cassiterite and most aggregate specimens show crystal twins. The typical twin is bent at a near-60-degree angle, forming an "Elbow Twin". Botryoidal or reniform cassiterite is called wood tin.
Cassiterite is also used as a gemstone and collector specimens when quality crystals can be found.
The name derives from the Greek kassiteros for "tin" - or - from the Phoenician word Cassiterid referring to the islands of Ireland and Britain, the ancient sources of tin - or - as Roman Ghirshman (1954) suggests, from the region of the Kassites, an ancient people in west and central Iran.
[edit] References
- ^ Watt, Louise (2008-11-01). "Mining for minerals fuels Congo conflict". Yahoo News!. Associated Press (Yahoo! Inc). http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081101/ap_on_re_af/eu_congo_blood_minerals;_ylt=ArJV4XOkAZXz9ELyIgl72yys0NUE. Retrieved on 2008-11-01.
- ^ Polgreen, Lydia (2008-11-16). "Congo's Riches, Looted by Renegade Troops". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/16/world/africa/16congo.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&th&emc=th. Retrieved on 2008-11-16.
- Hurlbut, Cornelius S.; Klein, Cornelis, 1985, Manual of Mineralogy, 20th ed., John Wiley and Sons, New York, pp. 306-307 ISBN 0-471-80580-7.
- Mineral galleries accessed 4-21-05.
- Mindat accessed 4-21-05.
- Webmineral accessed 4-21-05.
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