cassiterite

American  

[kuh-sit-uh-rahyt] / kəˈsɪt əˌraɪt /

noun

1. a brown or black mineral, tin dioxide, SnO 2 , that crystallizes in the tetragonal system; tinstone: the principal ore of tin.

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cassiterite British  

/ kəˈsɪtəˌraɪt /

noun

1. Also called: tinstone.  a black or brown mineral, found in igneous rocks and hydrothermal veins. It is a source of tin. Composition: tin oxide. Formula: SnO 2 . Crystal structure: tetragonal

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Etymology

Origin of cassiterite

1855–60; < Greek kassíter ( os ) tin + -ite ¹

Example Sentences

On the recent trip into the forest, they found a recently abandoned gold mine and the active mine harvesting cassiterite, the main ore to make tin.

From New York Times • Mar. 25, 2023

The principle tin ore is the oxide cassiterite, SnO2, and the principle lead and thallium ores are the sulfides or the products of weathering of the sulfides.

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

Eastern Congo is blessed with gold, coltan, cassiterite and other minerals.

From New York Times • Dec. 17, 2012

Congo is rich in coltan, used in mobile phones and other consumer electronics, and cassiterite, or tin ore.

From The Guardian • Aug. 16, 2012

The hardness of cassiterite is 6.5, so that it cannot be scratched with a knife, and is nearly as hard as quartz.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 4 "Carnegie Andrew" to "Casus Belli" by Various