Cassiterite often accumulates in alluvial channels as placer deposits because it is harder, heavier, and more chemically resistant than the accompanying granite.
42.
The veins are predominantly in a north west-south east orientation and the cassiterite itself forms around 1 % of the vein material.
43.
However, in April MONUC reported that FARDC soldiers had subjected numerous IDPs to forced labor in cassiterite mines in Mitwaba, Katanga Province.
44.
Mineralisation from the Heemskirk Granite with cassiterite or tin and tungsten skarn, or silver lead and zinc veins occur in the Zeehan field.
45.
Cassiterite contains almost 80 % tin and after concentration is dried, bagged and shipped to smelters where it is cast into metal ingots.
46.
This is amazing, given that tin is a semi-rare metal, and even a rich cassiterite ore only has 5 % tin.
47.
This ore has a similar specific gravity to cassiterite and the normal methods used for separating the ore from gangue could not separate these two minerals.
48.
Minerals mined include cassiterite, wolframite, gold, and coltan, which is used in the manufacture of electronic and communication devices such as mobile phones.
49.
The tin appears as cassiterite ( with around 65-70 % tin ), within veins associated with quartz, tourmaline, metal sulphides and fluorite.
50.
Cassiterite, a widespread minor constituent of igneous rocks, has been the chief tin ore throughout ancient history and remains the most important source of tin today.
