Soft, pliable, silvery-white metal. Unreactive to oxygen (protected by an oxide film) and water but dissolves in acids and bases. Used in solders, alloys, tinplate, polymer additives and anti-fouling paints.
Diagnostic tests:
Tin is usually detected by the formation of metallic tin globules by
reduction of the mineral on charcoal with the blowpipe.
Mix 1 part powdered mineral with 1 part charcoal and 2
parts Na2CO3 with enough water to make a paste. Heat
on charcoal block with a reducing flame and the tin should be easily
reduced and collect into globules of metallic tin which are bright in the
reducing flame and dull when cooled because of the formation of an oxide
coat.
The globules are distinguished from lead or bismuth by the lack of a
yellow coating of the oxide on charcoal and from silver by the dull
presence of a coating of oxide upon cooling.
References
Emsley, J., 1991; THE ELEMENTS : Sec. Ed.,
Clarendon Press, Oxford, 251 p.
(* - Mineral Name Is Not IMA Approved)
(! - New Dana classification added or changed from Danas New Mineralogy)
(? - IMA Discredited Mineral Species Name)
There are 107 minerals with Sn in the Mineralogy Database.