Image: <bdi><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q56247090" class="extiw" title="d:Q56247090"><span title="mineral collector and dealer">Robert M. Lavinsky</span></a></bdi> (CC BY-SA 3.0)
tetragonaluncommonOxides
Cassiterite
SnO2
This specimen features dark brown to black, well-formed, prismatic to blocky crystals of cassiterite, exhibiting a distinct adamantine luster, associated with lighter-colored beryl crystals.
Cassiterite Physical Properties
Mohs Hardness
6.5Crystal System
tetragonalLuster
adamantineStreak Color
white to brownish-whiteCleavage
poor on {110} and {100}Fracture
conchoidalSpecific Gravity
7Colors
brown, black, reddish-brown, yellowish-brown, grayTransparency
opaque to translucentType Locality
Shengus (Shingus), Haramosh Mts., Skardu District, BaltistanMineral Group
OxidesUses
tin ore, collectorAssociated Minerals
beryl, quartz, feldspar, tourmaline, topazRarity
uncommonGeological Context
Cassiterite is the primary ore of tin, typically forming in high-temperature hydrothermal veins, pegmatites, and greisens associated with granitic intrusions. It is also found in placer deposits due to its high specific gravity and resistance to weathering.
