Cassiterite

specimen number:
8311215

location:
Cornwall, England, UK

description:
A loose cluster of lustrous cassiterite crystals. In good condition. The specimen comes with a previous label from The Lesnicks and note that the specimen was originally acquired through British dealer Botteley in 1969. This label is shown at the end of the video.

Mining for tin in Cornwall, England has a long and important history that dates back over two thousand years, with early extraction carried out by ancient peoples and later expanded by the Romans. The primary ore of tin, cassiterite, occurs in hydrothermal veins associated with granitic intrusions, where mineral rich fluids deposited tin bearing minerals in fractures within the surrounding rock. During the 18th and 19th centuries, Cornwall became one of the worlds leading sources of tin, with extensive underground mines developed using advanced engineering for the time. Cassiterite was mined both from hard rock lodes and from alluvial deposits derived from the weathering of these veins. The industry played a major role in the local economy and contributed significantly to global tin supply. However, by the late 19th and 20th centuries, competition from overseas deposits and declining ore grades led to the gradual closure of most Cornish tin mines, leaving a lasting legacy of historic mine workings and mineral specimens.

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