underthescopemineral: Cassiterite, HematiteSnO2, Fe2O3 Locality: Arsenatnaya fumarole, Second scor
underthescopemineral: Cassiterite, Hematite SnO2, Fe2O3 Locality: Arsenatnaya fumarole, Second scoria cone, Northern Breakthrough (North Breach), Great Fissure eruption (Main Fracture), Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka Oblast’, Far-Eastern Region, Russia Field of View: 3 mm Very unusual habit for Cassiterite as orange red sphaerolites with black and shiny Hematite. Collection and photo Stephan Wolfsried Cassiterite is a tin oxide mineral. It is generally opaque, but it is translucent in thin crystals. Its luster and multiple crystal faces produce a desirable gem. Cassiterite has been the chief tin ore throughout ancient history and remains the most important source of tin today. The name Cassiterite is derived from the Greek “kassiteros”, meaning tin. Environment: Granite pegmatites and alluvial placer deposits. -- source link