Tin
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Tin
Formula:
Sn
Colour:
Tin-white
Lustre:
Metallic
Hardness:
1½ - 2
Specific Gravity:
7.31
Crystal System:
Tetragonal
Name:
Old English origin, related to dutch "tin" and german "zinn".
Type Locality:
For the commodity click here.
Occurs as greyish metallic grains and nuggets to 1 cm.
Some occurrences may be anthropogenic (product of the smelting of cassiterite ore).
Occurs as greyish metallic grains and nuggets to 1 cm.
Some occurrences may be anthropogenic (product of the smelting of cassiterite ore).
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
3965
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:3965:5
GUID
(UUID V4):
(UUID V4):
976cd78d-9894-4f47-8c6a-cc1b5bb9466f
IMA Classification of Tin
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
First published:
1844
Type description reference:
Classification of Tin
1.AC.10
1 : ELEMENTS (Metals and intermetallic alloys; metalloids and nonmetals; carbides, silicides, nitrides, phosphides)
A : Metals and Intermetallic Alloys
C : Indium-tin family
1 : ELEMENTS (Metals and intermetallic alloys; metalloids and nonmetals; carbides, silicides, nitrides, phosphides)
A : Metals and Intermetallic Alloys
C : Indium-tin family
Dana 7th ed.:
1.1.19.1
1.1.13.1
1 : NATIVE ELEMENTS AND ALLOYS
1 : Metals, other than the Platinum Group
1 : NATIVE ELEMENTS AND ALLOYS
1 : Metals, other than the Platinum Group
1.29
1 : Elements and Alloys (including the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au)
1 : Elements and Alloys (including the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au)
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
| Symbol | Source | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Sn | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Physical Properties of Tin
Metallic
Transparency:
Opaque
Colour:
Tin-white
Streak:
Grey-white
Hardness:
1½ - 2 on Mohs scale
Hardness:
VHN10=7 - 9 kg/mm2 - Vickers
Hardness Data:
Measured
Tenacity:
Malleable
Cleavage:
None Observed
Fracture:
Hackly
Density:
7.31 g/cm3 (Measured) 7.286 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Tin
Anisotropism:
Moderate
Reflectivity:
| Wavelength | R1 | R2 |
|---|---|---|
| 400nm | 76.3% | 72.7% |
| 420nm | 79.4% | 74.2% |
| 440nm | 81.9% | 75.8% |
| 460nm | 84.0% | 77.6% |
| 480nm | 85.5% | 79.2% |
| 500nm | 86.7% | 80.5% |
| 520nm | 87.5% | 81.4% |
| 540nm | 88.1% | 81.9% |
| 560nm | 88.2% | 82.0% |
| 580nm | 88.0% | 81.9% |
| 600nm | 87.7% | 81.5% |
| 620nm | 87.2% | 81.1% |
| 640nm | 86.7% | 80.7% |
| 600nm | 86.3% | 80.4% |
| 680nm | 85.8% | 80.1% |
| 700nm | 85.4% | 79.8% |
Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Top of box is 100%. Peak reflectance is 88.2%.
R1 shown in black, R2 shown in red
Colour in reflected light:
Tin-white
Internal Reflections:
none
Chemistry of Tin
Mindat Formula:
Sn
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Tin
Crystal System:
Tetragonal
Class (H-M):
4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) - Ditetragonal Dipyramidal
Space Group:
I41/amd
Cell Parameters:
a = 5.831 Å, b = 5.831 Å, c = 3.182 Å
α = 90°, β = 90°, γ = 90°
α = 90°, β = 90°, γ = 90°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 1 : 1 : 0.546
Unit Cell V:
108.19 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Morphology:
Rounded grains and nuggets to a mm
Crystal Structure
Load
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
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CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
| ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0011246 | Tin | Wyckoff R W G (1963) Second edition. Interscience Publishers, New York, New York Crystal Structures 1 7-83 | 1963 | 0 | 293 | ||
| 0011248 | Tin | Wyckoff R W G (1963) Second edition. Interscience Publishers, New York, New York Sample known as white tin Crystal Structures 1 7-83 | 1963 | 0 | 293 | ||
| 0012875 | Tin | Straumanis M E (1949) The precision determination of lattice constants by the powder and rotation crystal methods and applications Journal of Applied Physics 20 726-734 | 1949 | synthetic | 0 | 298 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 2.915 Å | (100) |
| 2.793 Å | (90) |
| 2.017 Å | (74) |
| 2.062 Å | (34) |
| 1.484 Å | (23) |
| 1.442 Å | (20) |
| 1.205 Å | (20) |
Type Occurrence of Tin
Reference:
Hermann, R. (1844) Untersuchungen russischer mineralien. Journal für Praktische Chemie: 33: 282-300.
Synonyms of Tin
Other Language Names for Tin
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
| 6 photos of Tin associated with Lead | Pb |
| 3 photos of Tin associated with Aluminium | Al |
| 3 photos of Tin associated with Ilmenite | Fe2+TiO3 |
| 3 photos of Tin associated with Pitchblende | UO2 |
| 3 photos of Tin associated with Calcite | CaCO3 |
| 3 photos of Tin associated with Hematite | Fe2O3 |
| 2 photos of Tin associated with Stistaite | SnSb |
| 1 photo of Tin associated with Romarchite | SnO |
| 1 photo of Tin associated with Hydroromarchite | Sn3O2(OH)2 |
| 1 photo of Tin associated with Albite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 1.AC.05 | Indium | In |
| 1.AC.15 | Eta-bronze | Cu6Sn5 |
| 1.AC.15 | Sorosite | Cu1+x(Sn,Sb) |
| 1.AC.15 | Yuanjiangite | AuSn |
| 1.AC.15 | UM1965-07-E:CuSn | Cu3Sn |
| 1.AC.20 | Rumoiite | AuSn2 |
Fluorescence of Tin
none
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Internet Links for Tin
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-3965.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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External Links:
Mineral Dealers:
References for Tin
Localities for Tin
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Algeria | |
| G. Tchimichkian |
Atlantic Ocean | |
| Sharkov et al. (2007) |
| Dekov et al. (h-Cu6Sn5) +1 other reference |
Australia | |
| Sorrell (n.d.) +1 other reference |
| Bernard et al. (2004) | |
| Gilligan et al. (1992) | |
| Dana's System of Mineralogy | |
| Gilligan et al. (1992) |
| Griessmann (2011) |
| Bottrill et al. (2008) |
Belarus | |
| Levitskiy et al. (2018, July) |
Bolivia | |
| Alfredo Petrov & Jaroslav Hyrsl ... |
Canada | |
| SABINA (1976) |
| Ford et al. (2011) |
| Ford et al. (2011) |
| Jack F. B. Silman (1954) +1 other reference |
China | |
| Zexian Xu et al. (1987) |
| Yuanliang Chen (1985) |
| Bingtao Li (1990) |
| Xiangwen Wang (2002) |
| Zhang Dequan et al. (2002) +1 other reference |
| Xie Yuling et al. (2006) |
| Wenji Bai et al. (2001) |
Colombia | |
| Anthony et al. (1990) |
DR Congo | |
| ... |
Finland | |
| Knauf et al. (1-2) |
Germany | |
| D. Pawlowski: "Mineralfundstellen im Sauerland" (Munich) |
Greenland | |
| Sørensen (2001) +1 other reference |
Israel | |
| Griffin et al. (2016) |
Italy | |
| Gentile et al. (2023) |
| Fadda et al. (2005) |
| AA. VV. |
| MONTRASIO A. et al. (1996) |
Kazakhstan | |
| Pavel.M. Kartashov (n.d.) |
Mongolia | |
| Pavel.M. Kartashov (n.d.) |
Myanmar | |
| Pavel M. Kartashov analytical data |
Nigeria | |
| Sydney Fawns (1907) +1 other reference |
Russia (TL) | |
| Pekov (1998) |
| Barkov et al. (1998) |
| Krivitskaya et al. (1995) +1 other reference |
| Keren Tan (1998) +1 other reference |
| Gordeev et al. (2014, January) |
| |
| |
| M.I. Novgorodova Doklady AN SSSR |
| Kalinina (2015) |
| V.V. Seredin data |
| Pavel.M. Kartashov (n.d.) |
| V. I. Ivashchenko et al. (2007) |
| [World of Stones 12:49] | |
| Shcheka et al. (2006) |
| [[1]]Kondratieva et al. (2023) |
| Anthony et al. (2016) | |
| Pekov (1998) |
| Koval'skii et al. (1985) +1 other reference |
| Pavel.M. Kartashov (n.d.) |
| Pavel.M. Kartashov (n.d.) |
| Pavel M. Kartashov analytical data of ... |
| Vikentyev et al. (2023) +1 other reference |
Slovakia | |
| Ďuďa (1993) |
South Korea | |
| Pavel.M. Kartashov (n.d.) |
Sweden | |
| Damman et al. (1990) |
| Damman et al. (1991) | |
UK | |
| Vesselin M. Dekov et al. (2009) |
USA | |
| Murdoch (1966) |
| Murdoch (1966) |
| Castor et al. (2004) |
| - (2005) |
| Alminas +2 other references | |
| Alminas +2 other references | |
| Alminas +2 other references | |
| Josef Vajdak (1999) |
Uzbekistan | |
| Anthony et al. (1990) +1 other reference |
| Sabir K. Mustafin data |
| Kovalenker (2003) |
The Moon | |
| Pavel.M. Kartashov (n.d.) |
| Mokhov et al. (2007) |
| Mokhov A.V. et al. (2018) |
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Aberfoyle River, Clarke Co., New South Wales, Australia