Cassiterite

Cassiterite is the mineral form of tin dioxide, SnO₂, and the principal ore of tin. Its high density and hardness help it survive transport and concentrate in placer deposits.

Tin dioxide: Tin dioxide is an inorganic compound with formula SnO₂, occurring naturally as cassiterite. Cassiterite is the naturally occurring mineral form of this compound.
Granite: Granite is a coarse-grained igneous rock composed mainly of quartz and feldspar. Tin-bearing granitic magmas can supply the fluids that form cassiterite deposits.
Tin mining: Tin mining is the extraction of tin-bearing ores, chiefly cassiterite, from deposits. Cassiterite is the main mineral target in both hard-rock and placer tin mining.
Bangka Island: Bangka is an Indonesian island with major tin deposits, including extensive alluvial and offshore resources. Its placer deposits exemplify cassiterite concentration through erosion and sediment transport.
Rutile structure: The rutile structure is a tetragonal crystal arrangement shared by several dioxide minerals. Cassiterite’s atoms are arranged in this crystal structure.
Hydrothermal circulation: Hydrothermal circulation is the movement of heated, mineral-bearing water through rocks and fractures. Hot fluids transport tin and precipitate cassiterite in veins and altered rocks.
Ore dressing: Ore dressing is the physical separation of valuable minerals from waste rock. Its density and resistance to weathering make gravity separation effective for cassiterite.
Cornwall: Cornwall is a region in southwest England historically known for its tin and copper mining. Its lodes and mining landscape record a long history of cassiterite extraction.
Mohs scale: The Mohs scale ranks minerals by their resistance to scratching, from talc to diamond. Cassiterite’s hardness of about 6–7 helps distinguish it from softer accompanying minerals.
Greisen: Greisen is a quartz- and mica-rich rock formed by alteration of granite by hot fluids. Greisen alteration commonly accompanies cassiterite mineralization around granitic intrusions.

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