Best viewed using Adobe Flash Player (8 or higher).
Download here

Cassiterite

Cassitérite

MNHN N°54.178

visu_9 infos
FROM : Hartz Massif , Germany

general description

It is a twinned black luster crystal.

This sample comes from Hartz Mountain, Germany. This sample comes from Romé de L'Isle's collection kept at the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle.

It is kept in the storage rooms of the collections of the Muséum (i.e., not yet displayed to the public).

Photography: Louis-Dominique Bayle, © MNHN.
The Species page
Identity card
SPECIE : Cassiterite

HISTORY : Name inspired by 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 by the Ancients
ANCIENT NAME : Mine d’étain 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 : 6,8 - 7

CHEMICAL CLASS : IV - Oxides and hydroxide
GROUP : Rutile
STRUNZ CLASS BEFORE 2001 : 4/D.02-40
STRUNZ CLASS AFTER 2001 : 4.DB.05
back
9
PREVIOUS
CLOSE

Mineralogy

Explore the Mineral Treasures of the Muséum
Welcome to
the Virtual Gallery of Mineralogy

This site was made possible thanks to support from TOTAL

VIEW FULL SCREEN
VERSION FRANÇAISE