cassiterite

Thân thiện

A geologist holds a piece of cassiterite in a rocky stream.

Definition

Noun A hard, heavy, dark-colored mineral that is the primary and most important source of the metal tin.

Usage

Cassiterite is a specific term used in geology and mineralogy. It refers to a naturally occurring mineral composed primarily of tin oxide (SnO₂). It is the main ore from which tin is extracted commercially.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The primary source of tin is the mineral cassiterite.
  • Miners discovered a rich vein of cassiterite in the mountains.
  • Cassiterite is often found in granite rocks and alluvial deposits.

Advanced Usage

• Geological Context: is frequently associated with granite intrusions and hydrothermal veins. Its high specific gravity makes it concentrate in placer deposits (alluvial or beach sands).
  • The prospectors panned the river sediment, hoping to find grains of cassiterite.

Variants and Related Words

• Tin stone: An older, less common synonym for cassiterite.
• Tin dioxide: The chemical compound (SnO₂) that constitutes cassiterite.
• Ore: A general term for a naturally occurring material from which a metal can be profitably extracted. is the tin ore.

Synonyms

• Tin ore (the functional synonym in mining contexts)

Related Terms (Not Phrasal Verbs or Idioms)

• Alluvial deposit: A place where water-deposited sediments, often containing heavy minerals like , are found.
• Lode deposit: A primary deposit where is found within a vein or rock mass.
• Tinstone: See 'Variants and Related Words'.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a hard heavy dark mineral that is the chief source of tin