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Cassiterite

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Ximeng Co., Pu'er Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China
© 2002 John H. Betts

Show Cassiterite Photos (498)
Formula:
SnO
 
2
System:TetragonalColour:Black, yellow, brown, ...
Lustre:Adamantine, Greasy, Sub-MetallicHardness:6 - 7
Name:The mineral name is derived from the term “Cassiterides” which was applied 'islands off the western coast of Europe' in pre-Roman times (the exact location of these 'islands' has been hotly debated over the years, current thought is that the source was probably mainland Spain and that even 2000 years ago, traders had a habit of providing misleading locality information to protect their sources).


The primary ore of Tin, this mineral is found in hydrothermal veins and pegmatites associated with granite intrusions. Because of its durability it is also frequently found concentrated in alluvial placer deposits, sometimes in large enough quantities to be commercially exploitable, as in Malaysia, for example.

Classification of Cassiterite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/D.02-40
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.DB.05

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
D : Metal: Oxygen = 1:2 and similar
B : With medium-sized cations; chains of edge-sharing octahedra
Dana 8th edition ID:4.4.1.5

4 : SIMPLE OXIDES
4 : AX2
Hey's CIM Ref.:7.11.2

7 : Oxides and Hydroxides
11 : Oxides of Sn and Pb
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Occurrences of Cassiterite

Geological Setting:In medium to high temperature hydrothermal veins andd greisens, alluvial placers.

Physical Properties of Cassiterite

Lustre:Adamantine, Greasy, Sub-Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent, Translucent on thin edges, Opaque
Colour:Black, yellow, brown, red or white.
Streak:Brownish white, white, greyish
Hardness (Mohs):6 - 7
Hardness (Vickers):VHN200=1239 - 1467 kg/mm2
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Imperfect/Fair
{100} imperfect, {110} indistinct.
Parting:More or less distinct on {111} or {011}.
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven, Sub-Conchoidal
Density (measured):6.98 - 7.01 g/cm3
Density (calculated):6.993 g/cm3

Crystallography of Cassiterite

Crystal System:Tetragonal
Class (H-M):4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) - Ditetragonal Dipyramidal
Space Group:P42/mnm (P42/m 21/n 2/m)
Cell Parameters:a = 4.7382(4) Å, c = 3.1871(1) Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 0.673
Unit Cell Volume:V 71.55 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:2
Morphology:Untwinned crystals usually sort prismatic [001] with {110} and {100} prominent. Long prismatic at times, or with acute terminations. Less commonly pyramidal. Faces {001} and {110} frequently uneven; faces in zone [10_1] and in zone [001] often striated parallel to their intersections. Fibrous, botryoidal crusts or concretionary masses. Granular, coarse to fine.
Twinning:1. On {011}, very common. Both contact and penetration twins; often repeated producing complex forms. Stellate fivelings at times. 2. Reported on {{031}.
Crystal Atlas:
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Click on an icon to view
Cassiterite no.1 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Cassiterite no.19 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Cassiterite no.175 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Cassiterite no.177 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Cassiterite no.178 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Cassiterite no.207 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

About Crystal Atlas

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Epitaxial Relationships of Cassiterite

Epitaxial Minerals:
QuartzNordenskiöldine
Epitaxi Comments:Oriented overgrowths of cassiterite on nordenskioldine; oriented growths of quartz on cassiterite.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
Image Loading

Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data: Peaks:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.

Optical Data of Cassiterite

Type:Uniaxial (+)
RI values: nω = 1.990 - 2.010 nε = 2.093 - 2.100
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.103

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Very High
Type:Anisotropic
Anisotropism:Strong
Colour in reflected light:Light gray
Internal Reflections:white to brownish
Pleochroism:Weak
Comments:Pleochroic haloes have been observed. Dichroic in yellow, green, red, brown, usually weak, or absent, but strong at times.
Comments:Anomalously biaxial.

Chemical Properties of Cassiterite

Formula:
SnO
 
2
Essential elements:O, Sn
All elements listed in formula:O, Sn
Common Impurities:Fe,Ta,Nb,Zn,W,Mn,Sc,Ge,In,Sc,Ga

Relationship of Cassiterite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
4.DB.05Argutite
GeO
 
2
4.DB.05Plattnerite
PbO
 
2
4.DB.05Pyrolusite
MnO
 
2
4.DB.05Rutile
TiO
 
2
4.DB.05Tripuhyite
Fe
3+
 
Sb
5+
 
O
 
4
4.DB.05Tugarinovite
MoO
 
2
4.DB.05Varlamoffite
(Sn,Fe)(O,OH)
 
2
4.DB.10Byströmite
MgSb
 
2
O
 
6
4.DB.10Tapiolite-(Fe)
(Fe,Mn)(Ta,Nb)
 
2
O
 
6
4.DB.10Tapiolite-(Mn)
(Mn,Fe)(Ta,Nb)
 
2
O
 
6
4.DB.10Ordoñezite
ZnSb
 
2
O
 
6
4.DB.15Akhtenskite
ε-Mn
4+
 
O
 
2
4.DB.15Nsutite
(Mn
4+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)(O,OH)
 
2
4.DB.15Paramontroseite
VO
 
2
4.DB.15Ramsdellite
Mn
4+
 
O
 
2
4.DB.20Scrutinyite
alpha-PbO
 
2
4.DB.25Ishikawaite
U
4+
 
Fe
2+
 
Nb
 
2
O
 
8
4.DB.25Ixiolite
(Ta,Nb,Sn,Fe,Mn)
 
4
O
 
8
4.DB.25Samarskite-(Y)
(Y,Fe
3+
 
,Fe
3+
 
,U,Th,Ca)(Nb,Ta)
 
2
O
 
8
4.DB.25Srilankite
(Ti,Zr)O
 
2
4.DB.25Yttrocolumbite-(Y)
Y(U
4+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)Nb
 
2
O
 
8
4.DB.25Calciosamarskite
(Ca,Fe
3+
 
,Y)(Nb,Ta)
 
2
O
 
8
4.DB.25Iwashiroite-(Y)
Y(Ta,Nb)O
 
4
4.DB.25Samarskite-(Yb)
(Yb,Fe
3+
 
)(Nb,Ta)
 
2
O
 
8
4.DB.25Písekite-(Y)
4.DB.30Ferberite
FeWO
 
4
4.DB.30Hübnerite
MnWO
 
4
4.DB.30Sanmartinite
(Zn,Fe)WO
 
4
4.DB.30Krasnoselskite
CoWO
 
4
4.DB.35Columbite-(Fe)
FeNb
 
2
O
 
6
4.DB.35Tantalite-(Fe)
FeTa
 
2
O
 
6
4.DB.35Columbite-(Mn)
(Mn,Fe)(Nb,Ta)
 
2
O
 
6
4.DB.35Tantalite-(Mn)
MnTa
 
2
O
 
6
4.DB.35Columbite-(Mg)
(Mg,Fe,Mn)(Nb,Ta)
 
2
O
 
6
4.DB.35Qitianlingite
(Fe,Mn)
 
2
(Nb,Ta)
 
2
WO
 
10
4.DB.35Magnocolumbite
4.DB.35Tantalite-(Mg)
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)(Ta,Nb)
 
2
O
 
6
4.DB.40Ferrowodginite
FeSnTa
 
2
O
 
8
4.DB.40Lithiotantite
Li(Ta,Nb)
 
3
O
 
8
4.DB.40Lithiowodginite
LiTa
 
3
O
 
8
4.DB.40Titanowodginite
MnTiTa
 
2
O
 
8
4.DB.40Wodginite
Mn(Sn,Ta)Ta
 
2
O
 
8
4.DB.40Ferrotitanowodginite
Fe
2+
 
TiTa
 
2
O
 
8
4.DB.45Tivanite
VTiO
 
3
(OH)
4.DB.50Carmichaelite
(Ti,Cr,Fe)[O
 
2-x
(OH)
 
x
]
4.DB.55Alumotantite
AlTaO
 
4
4.DB.60Biehlite
((Sb,As)O)
 
2
[MoO
 
4
]
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
7.11.1Romarchite
SnO
7.11.3 Hydromarchite
Sn
 
3
O
 
2
(OH)
 
2
7.11.4Schoenfliesite
Mg[Sn(OH)
 
6
]
7.11.5Burtite
Ca[Sn(OH)
 
6
]
7.11.6Vismirnovite
Zn[Sn(OH)
 
6
]
7.11.7Wickmanite
Mn
2+
 
[Sn(OH)
 
6
]
7.11.8Tetrawickmanite
Mn
2+
 
[Sn
4+
 
(OH)
 
6
]
7.11.9Jeanbandyite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)[Sn
4+
 
(OH)
 
6
]
7.11.10Natanite
Fe
2+
 
[Sn(OH)
 
6
]
7.11.11Mushistonite
(Cu,Zn,Fe
2+
 
)[Sn(OH)
 
6
]
7.11.12Ferronigerite-2N1S
Sn(Fe,Mg)Al
 
6
O
 
11
(OH)
7.11.13Magnesionigerite
7.11.14Argutite
GeO
 
2
7.11.15Brunogeierite
(Ge,Fe)Fe
 
2
O
 
4
7.11.16Stottite
Fe
2+
 
[Ge
4+
 
(OH)
 
6
]
7.11.17Carboirite
FeAl
 
2
GeO
 
5
(OH)
 
2
7.11.18Otjisumeite
PbGe
 
4
O
 
9
7.11.19Bartelkeite
PbFe
2+
 
Ge
 
3
O
 
8
7.11.20Massicot
PbO
7.11.21Litharge
PbO
7.11.22Minium
Pb
 
3
O
 
4
7.11.23Plattnerite
PbO
 
2
7.11.24Scrutinyite
alpha-PbO
 
2
7.11.25Murdochite
PbCu
 
6
O
 
8-x
(Cl,Br)
 
2x
 x<=0.5
7.11.26Macedonite
PbTiO
 
3
7.11.27Cesàrolite
PbH
 
2
Mn
 
3
O
 
8
7.11.28Coronadite
Pb(Mn,Mn)
 
8
O
 
16
7.11.29Quenselite
PbMnO
 
2
(OH)
7.11.30Plumboferrite
PbFe
 
4
O
 
7
7.11.31Magnetoplumbite
(Pb,Mn)(Fe,Mn)
 
12
O
 
19
7.11.32Senaite
Pb(Ti,Fe,Mn)
 
21
O
 
38

Other Names for Cassiterite

Synonyms:
NadelzinnerzNeedle-tin oreSparable tinStannum calciformeTinstone
French names:
Etain oxydé
German names:
CassiteritKassiteritSperlingsschnabelVisiererzVisiergraupen
ZinngranateZinngraupenZinnspatZinnsteinZwitter
Italian names:
Stagno ossidato
Japanese names:
錫石
Russian names:
Касситерит
Spanish names:
Cassiterita
Swedish names:
TennmalmZinnsten
Varieties:
AinaliteToad's Eye TinWood Tin

Other Information

Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

References for Cassiterite

Reference List:Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1944), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Volume I: Elements, Sulfides, Sulfosalts, Oxides. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York. 7th edition, revised and enlarged: 574-581.

Cecchini A., Franzini M., Troysi M.(1990): La microdurezza della cassiterite. Atti Soc. Tosc. Sc. Nat., Mem., Serie A, 97, 85-92.

Maldener, J., Rauch, F., Gavranic, M., and Beran, A. (2001) OH absorption coefficients of rutile and cassiterite deduced from nuclear reaction analysis and FTIR spectroscopy. Mineralogy and Petrology: 71: 21-29.

Internet Links for Cassiterite

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    • Localities for Cassiterite

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