Muséum national d'histoire naturelle _ The species

FROM : Hunan, China
SIZE : 9 x 6.5 cm

This specimen shows black crystals of cassiterite whith white silvery layers of muscovite. Cassiterite crystals are irregular, twinned and very luster. This sample measures 9 x 6.5 cm.

This sample comes from a mineral deposit in Hunan in China. The Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle bought it. It is kept in the storage rooms of the collections (i.e., not yet displayed to the public).

Photography: Louis-Dominique Bayle , © MNHN.

SPECIE : Cassiterite
VARIETY :Cassitérite

HISTORY : Name inspired from the Greek word "kασσιτερος" [kassiteros] meaning tin

Species first described in 1832 by François-Sulpice Beudant (1787-1850), French mineralogist

Type-locality: undefined because species already known from the Ancients
ANCIENT NAME : Mine détain colorée, étain oxydé

CHEMICAL FORMULA : Sn O2
CRYSTAL SYSTEM : Tetragonal
COLOR : Black
DIAPHANIETY : Transparent
LUSTER : Adamantine
STREAK : White, pale gray
MORPHOLOGY : Prismatic crystals with pyramidal termination, botryoidal masses
HARDNESS : 6,0-7,0
DENSITY : 6,993

CHEMICAL CLASS : IV - Oxides and hydroxide
GROUP : Rutile
STRUNZ CLASS BEFORE 2001 : 4/D.02-40
STRUNZ CLASS AFTER 2001 : 4.DB.05

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Cassiterite

Cassiterite

MNHN N°201.254

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