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The mineralogy of Tin

General Properties
Symbol:	Sn
Commodity pages:	Tin
Atomic Number:	50
Standard atomic weight (A_r):	118.710(7)
Electron configuration:	[Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p²

Photos

<	Old tin ingots	>

Atomic Properties
Electronegativity (Pauling scale):	1.96
Atomic Radius:	145 pm
Ionic Radius:	112 pm (+2)
Van der Waals Radius:	217 pm
1st Ionization energy:	709 kJ/mol
1st Electron affinity:	-107 kJ/mol
Oxidation States:	-4,2,4

Physical Properties
Standard State:	solid
Bonding Type:	metallic
Melting Point:	505 K
Boiling Point:	2875 K
Density:	7.31 g/cm³
Metal/Non-Metal:	metal

Main isotopes of Tin
Isotope	% in Nature	Half Life	Decay type	Decay product
¹¹²Sn	0.97%	-	β+β+ ?	¹¹²Cd
¹¹⁴Sn	0.66%	-	Spontaneous fission ?
¹¹⁵Sn	0.34%	-	Spontaneous fission ?
¹¹⁶Sn	14.54%	-	Spontaneous fission ?
¹¹⁷Sn	7.68%	-	Spontaneous fission ?
¹¹⁸Sn	24.22%	-	Spontaneous fission ?
¹¹⁹Sn	8.59%	-	Spontaneous fission ?
¹²⁰Sn	32.58%	-	Spontaneous fission ?
¹²²Sn	4.63%	-	β-β- ?	¹²²Te
¹²⁴Sn	5.79%	>1×10¹⁷y	β-β- ?	¹²⁴Te
¹²⁶Sn	trace	2.3×10⁵y	β−	¹²⁶Sb

Main ions of Tin
Name	Ion	Example minerals
tin(II)	Sn²⁺	Herzenbergite, Romarchite
tin(IV)	Sn⁴⁺	Cassiterite
stannate	[Sn(OH)₆]^2-	Burtite, Natanite, Jeanbandyite

Other Information
Year Discovered:	around 3500 BC
Named For:	from the Anglo-Saxon word "tin"
CPK color coding:	#668080
External Links:	Wikipedia WebElements Los Alamos National Laboratory Theodore Gray's PeriodicTable.com

Simple Compounds and Mineral Names
Sulfides	tin sulphide	SnS	+2
Sulfides	tin disulphide	SnS₂	+4	Berndtite
Selenides	tin selenide	SnSe	+2
Selenides	tin diselenide	SnSe₂	+4
Tellurides	tin telluride	SnTe	+2
Hydrides	stannane	SnH4	+4
Fluorides	tin difluoride	SnF₂	+2
Fluorides	tin tetrafluoride	SnF₄	+4
Chlorides	tin dichloride	SnCl₂	+2
Chlorides	tin tetrachloride	SnCl₄	+4
Bromides	tin dibromide	SnBr₂	+2
Bromides	tin tetrabromide	SnBr₄	+4
Iodides	tin diiodide	SnI₂	+2
Iodides	tin tetraiodide	SnI₄	+4
Oxides	tin oxide	SnO	+2	Romarchite
Oxides	tin dioxide	SnO₂	+4	Cassiterite

Mineral Diversity of Tin
1. Elements	16 valid mineral species
2. Sulfides And Sulfosalts	45 valid mineral species
3. Halides	2 valid mineral species
4. Oxides	21 valid mineral species
6. Borates	3 valid mineral species
7. Sulfates	1 valid mineral species
8. Phosphates, Arsenates, Vanadates	1 valid mineral species
9. Silicates	15 valid mineral species
Total:	104 valid species containing essential Tin

Minerals with the greatest weight % of Tin
Native Tin	Sn	100.00 %
Romarchite	SnO	88.12 %
Hydroromarchite	Sn₃O₂(OH)₂	84.36 %
Cassiterite	SnO₂	78.77 %
Herzenbergite	SnS	78.73 %
Rhodostannite	Cu¹⁺(Fe²⁺_0.5Sn⁴⁺_1.5)S₄	75.58 %
Abhurite	Sn₂₁Cl₁₆(OH)₁₄O₆	73.44 %
Toyohaite	Ag¹⁺(Fe²⁺_0.5Sn⁴⁺_1.5)S₄	71.54 %
Ottemannite	Sn₂S₃	71.17 %
Berndtite	SnS₂	64.93 %

Geochemistry of Tin
Goldschmidt classification:	Chalcophile
Sn⁴⁺ is concentrated in residual soils and sediments (less certainty.)

Elemental Abundance for Tin
Crust (CRC Handbook)	2.3 x 10^-6	mass fraction, kg/kg
Crust (Kaye & Laby)	1.5 x 10^-6	mass fraction, kg/kg
Crust (Greenwood)	2.1 x 10^-6	mass fraction, kg/kg
Crust (Ahrens/Taylor)	2.500 x 10^-6	mass fraction, kg/kg
Upper Crust (Ahrens/Taylor)	5.500 x 10^-6	mass fraction, kg/kg
Sea Water (CRC Handbook)	4 x 10^-12	mass per volume fraction, kg/L
Sea Water (Kaye & Laby)	8.1 x 10^-10	mass per volume fraction, kg/L
The Sun (Kaye & Laby)	3.0 x 10^-6	atom mole fraction relative to Si=1
Solar System (Kaye & Laby)	3.9 x 10^-6	atom mole fraction relative to Si=1
Solar System (Ahrens)	3.82 x 10^-6 (9.4%)	atom mole fraction relative to Si=1 (% uncertainty)

Element association of Tin in the Mineral World
This table compares the known valid mineral species listed listed with Tin and the other elements listed based on the official IMA formula. Note that unlike other sections on this page this includes non-essential elements. The first data column contains the total number of minerals listed with Tin and the element listed for that row. The second data column lists this number as a percentage of all minerals listed with Tin. The final data column compares this percentage against the percentage of all minerals that contain the element listed in each row. Click on a heading to sort.

Element	Valid Minerals listed with element and Tin	% of Sn minerals	Relative to % in all minerals
Oxygen	50 minerals with Sn and O	43.86%	45.93% lower
Sulfur	43 minerals with Sn and S	37.72%	70.95% higher
Iron	30 minerals with Sn and Fe	26.32%	17.30% higher
Hydrogen	28 minerals with Sn and H	24.56%	55.83% lower
Copper	28 minerals with Sn and Cu	24.56%	81.38% higher
Calcium	19 minerals with Sn and Ca	16.67%	33.05% lower
Silicon	16 minerals with Sn and Si	14.04%	49.05% lower
Zinc	14 minerals with Sn and Zn	12.28%	118.18% higher
Antimony	13 minerals with Sn and Sb	11.40%	99.18% higher
Aluminium	11 minerals with Sn and Al	9.65%	51.50% lower
Palladium	11 minerals with Sn and Pd	9.65%	581.80% higher
Lead	10 minerals with Sn and Pb	8.77%	19.07% lower
Arsenic	9 minerals with Sn and As	7.89%	39.25% lower
Manganese	8 minerals with Sn and Mn	7.02%	39.56% lower
Magnesium	7 minerals with Sn and Mg	6.14%	53.94% lower
Silver	7 minerals with Sn and Ag	6.14%	57.12% higher
Platinum	7 minerals with Sn and Pt	6.14%	712.36% higher
Boron	5 minerals with Sn and B	4.39%	12.31% lower
Titanium	4 minerals with Sn and Ti	3.51%	50.07% lower
Beryllium	4 minerals with Sn and Be	3.51%	62.82% higher
Tantalum	4 minerals with Sn and Ta	3.51%	207.29% higher
Sodium	3 minerals with Sn and Na	2.63%	85.89% lower
Chlorine	3 minerals with Sn and Cl	2.63%	64.35% lower
Potassium	3 minerals with Sn and K	2.63%	73.57% lower
Nickel	3 minerals with Sn and Ni	2.63%	21.71% lower
Indium	3 minerals with Sn and In	2.63%	862.54% higher
Bismuth	3 minerals with Sn and Bi	2.63%	37.31% lower
Vanadium	2 minerals with Sn and V	1.75%	63.52% lower
Lithium	2 minerals with Sn and Li	1.75%	12.73% lower
Scandium	2 minerals with Sn and Sc	1.75%	304.03% higher
Selenium	2 minerals with Sn and Se	1.75%	34.28% lower
Gold	2 minerals with Sn and Au	1.75%	153.69% higher
Tellurium	2 minerals with Sn and Te	1.75%	50.64% lower
Zirconium	1 mineral with Sn and Zr	0.88%	63.64% lower
Nitrogen	1 mineral with Sn and N	0.88%	65.48% lower
Fluorine	1 mineral with Sn and F	0.88%	88.87% lower
Germanium	1 mineral with Sn and Ge	0.88%	26.85% higher
Niobium	1 mineral with Sn and Nb	0.88%	71.59% lower
Molybdenum	1 mineral with Sn and Mo	0.88%	44.34% lower
Cadmium	1 mineral with Sn and Cd	0.88%	60.42% higher
Barium	1 mineral with Sn and Ba	0.88%	81.13% lower
Mercury	1 mineral with Sn and Hg	0.88%	50.86% lower
Tungsten	1 mineral with Sn and W	0.88%	2.60% lower
Thallium	1 mineral with Sn and Tl	0.88%	41.35% lower

Periodic Table

2He

3Li

4Be

Show/hide current element

Default Categories CPK Electronegativity Atomic Radius Lowest Oxidation Highest Oxidation Crustal Abundance Goldschmidt Mineral Species Minerals with Sn Relative Frequency

Indium << Tin >> Antimony

Most widespread minerals containing Tin
This list of minerals containing Tin is built from the mindat.org locality database. This is based on the number of localities entered for mineral species and is therefore slanted towards minerals interesting to collectors with less coverage of common rock-forming-minerals so it does not give an undistorted distribution of Tin mineral species. It is more useful when comparing rare species rather than common species.

Most widespread minerals containing Tin

This list of minerals containing Tin is built from the mindat.org locality database. This is based on the number of localities entered for mineral species and is therefore slanted towards minerals interesting to collectors with less coverage of common rock-forming-minerals so it does not give an undistorted distribution of Tin mineral species. It is more useful when comparing rare species rather than common species.

Name	Formula	Crystal System	Mindat Localities
Cassiterite	SnO₂	Tetragonal	6200
Stannite	Cu₂FeSnS₄	Tetragonal	889
Mawsonite	Cu₆Fe₂SnS₈	Tetragonal	135
Canfieldite	Ag₈SnS₆	Orthorhombic	134
Kësterite	Cu₂ZnSnS₄	Tetragonal	107
Stannoidite	Cu⁺₆Cu²⁺₂(Fe²⁺,Zn)₃Sn₂S₁₂	Orthorhombic	105
Wodginite	Mn²⁺Sn⁴⁺Ta₂O₈	Monoclinic	94
Native Tin	Sn	Tetragonal	82
Varlamoffite	Sn_1-xFe_xO_2-x(OH)		68
Franckeite	Fe²⁺(Pb,Sn²⁺)₆Sn⁴⁺₂Sb₂S₁₄	Triclinic	65

Photos
Cassiterite, etc. Aberfoyle Mine, Rossarden mining district, Northern Midlands municipality, Tasmania, Australia Stannite, etc. Yaogangxian Mine, Yaogangxian W-Sn ore field, Yizhang Co., Chenzhou, Hunan, China Mawsonite Akenobe mine, Oya-cho, Yabu City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan Canfieldite Colquechaca, Colquechaca Municipality, Chayanta Province, Potosí, Bolivia Cassiterite, etc. Aberfoyle Mine, Rossarden mining district, Northern Midlands municipality, Tasmania, Australia Stannite, etc. Yaogangxian Mine, Yaogangxian W-Sn ore field, Yizhang Co., Chenzhou, Hunan, China Mawsonite Akenobe mine, Oya-cho, Yabu City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan Canfieldite Colquechaca, Colquechaca Municipality, Chayanta Province, Potosí, Bolivia Cassiterite, etc. Aberfoyle Mine, Rossarden mining district, Northern Midlands municipality, Tasmania, Australia Stannite, etc. Yaogangxian Mine, Yaogangxian W-Sn ore field, Yizhang Co., Chenzhou, Hunan, China Mawsonite Akenobe mine, Oya-cho, Yabu City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan Canfieldite Colquechaca, Colquechaca Municipality, Chayanta Province, Potosí, Bolivia

Photos

Cassiterite, etc.

Aberfoyle Mine, Rossarden mining district, Northern Midlands municipality, Tasmania, Australia

Stannite, etc.

Yaogangxian Mine, Yaogangxian W-Sn ore field, Yizhang Co., Chenzhou, Hunan, China

Mawsonite

Akenobe mine, Oya-cho, Yabu City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan

Canfieldite

Colquechaca, Colquechaca Municipality, Chayanta Province, Potosí, Bolivia

Cassiterite, etc.

Aberfoyle Mine, Rossarden mining district, Northern Midlands municipality, Tasmania, Australia

Stannite, etc.

Yaogangxian Mine, Yaogangxian W-Sn ore field, Yizhang Co., Chenzhou, Hunan, China

Mawsonite

Akenobe mine, Oya-cho, Yabu City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan

Canfieldite

Colquechaca, Colquechaca Municipality, Chayanta Province, Potosí, Bolivia

Cassiterite, etc.

Aberfoyle Mine, Rossarden mining district, Northern Midlands municipality, Tasmania, Australia

Stannite, etc.

Yaogangxian Mine, Yaogangxian W-Sn ore field, Yizhang Co., Chenzhou, Hunan, China

Mawsonite

Akenobe mine, Oya-cho, Yabu City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan

Canfieldite

Colquechaca, Colquechaca Municipality, Chayanta Province, Potosí, Bolivia

Localities with greatest number of different Tin mineral species

1	Oploca Vein System, San Miguel Open pit, Pirquitas Mine, Mina Pirquitas, Rinconada Department, Jujuy Province, Argentina	15 Sn minerals
2	Pirquitas Mine, Mina Pirquitas, Rinconada Department, Jujuy Province, Argentina	14 Sn minerals
3	Bisbee, Cochise County, Arizona, USA	12 Sn minerals
4	Campbell Mine, Bisbee, Cochise County, Arizona, USA	12 Sn minerals
5	Oktyabrsky Mine, Talnakh Cu-Ni Deposit, Norilsk-Talnakh Mining Region, Taimyr Peninsula, Taymyrskiy Autonomous Okrug, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia	11 Sn minerals
6	Kockbulak mine (Kochbulak Au-Ag-Te deposit), Ohangaron District, Tashkent Region, Uzbekistan	11 Sn minerals
7	Toyoha Mine, Minami-ku, Sapporo City, Ishikari Subprefecture, Hokkaidō Prefecture, Japan	11 Sn minerals
8	Ozernovskoe deposit, Karaginsky District, Koryak Okrug, Kamchatka Krai, Russia	11 Sn minerals

Important ores of Tin

Name	Formula	Crystal System
Cassiterite	SnO₂	Tetragonal

Photos
Cassiterite, etc. Elsmore Tin Mine, Elsmore, Gough Co., New South Wales, Australia Cassiterite, etc. Viloco Mine, Loayza Province, La Paz, Bolivia Cassiterite, etc. Aberfoyle Mine, Rossarden mining district, Northern Midlands municipality, Tasmania, Australia Cassiterite, etc. Beauvoir quarry, Échassières, Vichy, Allier, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France Cassiterite, etc. Elsmore Tin Mine, Elsmore, Gough Co., New South Wales, Australia Cassiterite, etc. Viloco Mine, Loayza Province, La Paz, Bolivia Cassiterite, etc. Aberfoyle Mine, Rossarden mining district, Northern Midlands municipality, Tasmania, Australia Cassiterite, etc. Beauvoir quarry, Échassières, Vichy, Allier, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France Cassiterite, etc. Elsmore Tin Mine, Elsmore, Gough Co., New South Wales, Australia Cassiterite, etc. Viloco Mine, Loayza Province, La Paz, Bolivia Cassiterite, etc. Aberfoyle Mine, Rossarden mining district, Northern Midlands municipality, Tasmania, Australia Cassiterite, etc. Beauvoir quarry, Échassières, Vichy, Allier, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Photos

Cassiterite, etc.

Elsmore Tin Mine, Elsmore, Gough Co., New South Wales, Australia

Cassiterite, etc.

Viloco Mine, Loayza Province, La Paz, Bolivia

Cassiterite, etc.

Aberfoyle Mine, Rossarden mining district, Northern Midlands municipality, Tasmania, Australia

Cassiterite, etc.

Beauvoir quarry, Échassières, Vichy, Allier, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Cassiterite, etc.

Elsmore Tin Mine, Elsmore, Gough Co., New South Wales, Australia

Cassiterite, etc.

Viloco Mine, Loayza Province, La Paz, Bolivia

Cassiterite, etc.

Aberfoyle Mine, Rossarden mining district, Northern Midlands municipality, Tasmania, Australia

Cassiterite, etc.

Beauvoir quarry, Échassières, Vichy, Allier, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Cassiterite, etc.

Elsmore Tin Mine, Elsmore, Gough Co., New South Wales, Australia

Cassiterite, etc.

Viloco Mine, Loayza Province, La Paz, Bolivia

Cassiterite, etc.

Aberfoyle Mine, Rossarden mining district, Northern Midlands municipality, Tasmania, Australia

Cassiterite, etc.

Beauvoir quarry, Échassières, Vichy, Allier, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Minor ores of Tin

Name	Formula	Crystal System
Stannite	Cu₂FeSnS₄	Tetragonal

Photos
Stannite Etta Mine, Keystone, Keystone Mining District, Pennington County, South Dakota, USA Stannite, etc. Yaogangxian Mine, Yaogangxian W-Sn ore field, Yizhang Co., Chenzhou, Hunan, China Stannite, etc. San José Mine, Oruro, Cercado Province, Oruro, Bolivia Stannite Itos Mine, Oruro, Cercado Province, Oruro, Bolivia Stannite Etta Mine, Keystone, Keystone Mining District, Pennington County, South Dakota, USA Stannite, etc. Yaogangxian Mine, Yaogangxian W-Sn ore field, Yizhang Co., Chenzhou, Hunan, China Stannite, etc. San José Mine, Oruro, Cercado Province, Oruro, Bolivia Stannite Itos Mine, Oruro, Cercado Province, Oruro, Bolivia Stannite Etta Mine, Keystone, Keystone Mining District, Pennington County, South Dakota, USA Stannite, etc. Yaogangxian Mine, Yaogangxian W-Sn ore field, Yizhang Co., Chenzhou, Hunan, China Stannite, etc. San José Mine, Oruro, Cercado Province, Oruro, Bolivia Stannite Itos Mine, Oruro, Cercado Province, Oruro, Bolivia

Photos

Stannite

Etta Mine, Keystone, Keystone Mining District, Pennington County, South Dakota, USA

Stannite, etc.

Yaogangxian Mine, Yaogangxian W-Sn ore field, Yizhang Co., Chenzhou, Hunan, China

Stannite, etc.

San José Mine, Oruro, Cercado Province, Oruro, Bolivia

Stannite

Itos Mine, Oruro, Cercado Province, Oruro, Bolivia

Stannite

Etta Mine, Keystone, Keystone Mining District, Pennington County, South Dakota, USA

Stannite, etc.

Yaogangxian Mine, Yaogangxian W-Sn ore field, Yizhang Co., Chenzhou, Hunan, China

Stannite, etc.

San José Mine, Oruro, Cercado Province, Oruro, Bolivia

Stannite

Itos Mine, Oruro, Cercado Province, Oruro, Bolivia

Stannite

Etta Mine, Keystone, Keystone Mining District, Pennington County, South Dakota, USA

Stannite, etc.

Yaogangxian Mine, Yaogangxian W-Sn ore field, Yizhang Co., Chenzhou, Hunan, China

Stannite, etc.

San José Mine, Oruro, Cercado Province, Oruro, Bolivia

Stannite

Itos Mine, Oruro, Cercado Province, Oruro, Bolivia

Spotted a mistake/omission? - These pages are a work in progress, so please send all comments/corrections to jolyon@mindat.org. Thank you.

Constants and physical property data from:

Lide, David R. - Ed. (2005) CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics - A Ready-Reference Book of Chemical and Physical Data (85th ed.). CRC Press.
National Physical Laboratory (2005) Kaye and Laby Online (discontinued). https://web.archive.org/web/20190506031327/http://www.kayelaby.npl.co.uk/
Kaye, G. W. C.; Laby, T. H. (n.d.) Tables of Physical and Chemical Constants and some Mathematical Functions. Longmans, Green, and Co.
Greenwood, N.N.; Earnshaw, A. (1997) Chemistry of the Elements (2nd ed.). Butterworth–Heinemann.
Ahrens, Thomas J. - Ed. (1995) Global Earth Physics - A Handbook of Physical Constants - AGU Reference Shelf No. 1. American Geophysical Union.
Railsback, L. Bruce (2003) An earth scientist's periodic table of the elements and their ions. Geology, 31 (9) 737 doi:10.1130/g19542.1
Emsley, John (2001) Nature's Building Blocks - An A-Z Guide to the Elements. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

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