Tin world mine production 2013 (229,640 t Sn)

Cassiterite [SnO2], density: 7.1 g/cm3

Tin price crash in 1981: 12,500 USD/t 5,000 USD/t

Austria 800 t

Cumulative historical tin production (about 20 Mt Sn)

(Lehmann 1990)

Ore
styles

Czerny et al.
(2005) EG
100th Anniv
Vol: 337-370

gr
an
ite
s
Ti
n

Non-tin granites

Shunso Ishihara: Magnetite- versus ilmenite-series rocks

3 CaTiSiO5 + 2 Fe3O4 + 3 SiO2 = 3 CaFeSi2O6 + 3 FeTiO3 + O2

titanite + magnetite + quartz = hedenbergite* + ilmenite
*or any other silicate
Shunso Ishihara in a kaki tree in South Korea in 1992

Molybdenum

Copper

Tin-Tungsten

Czerny et al. (2006)

EG 100th An Vol: 350

Lehmann and Harmanto

(1990) EG 85: 99

Lehmann (1982) Econ Geol 77: 50-59

Solubility of cassiterite in peraluminous melt

SnO2 (cas) = SnO (melt) + O2 (melt)

K=[SnO].[O2]/[SnO2]
logK=0.5logO2 + logSnO
logSnO= -0.5logO2 - logK

SnO2 (cas) =
SnO2 (melt)

Linnen et al. (1996) GCA 60: 4970

Main-phase granite, Rayong Pluton, Thailand

(K-feldspar megacrystic medium- to coarse-grained biotite granite)

Microgranite intrudes two-phase granite, Belitung Island, Indonesia

Two-phase granite
Secondary magmatic textures from
two-phase granites in the SE-Asian
tin belt, interpreted as disruptive emplacement of residual melt (fine grained
matrix) into partially or wholly crystalline
host granite (medium to coarse grained
xenocrysts).
Cobbing (1989), Lehmann (1990)

Relationship between total water and CO2 contents dissolved in rhyolitic melt
at various pressures and temperatures (Tamic et al. 2001, Chem Geol 174: 344)

There is an interstitial fluid reservoir which can be tapped on fracturing

Greisen-style alteration:
A Pervasive greisenization (quartztopaz-mica) with metasomatic
layering by Li mica
B K-felspar megablasts with halos of
Li mica in granite contact zone
(stockscheider)
C Sheeted vein mineralization in
greisen

Ehrenfriedersdorf tin deposit, Erzgebirge, Germany

Eugster (1986) Minerals in hot water. Am Mineral 71: 655-673

Ear Mountain tin granite, Alaska, USA

Swanson et al.
(1988)
Econ Geol 83:46

Central
Thailand

Lehmann and
Mahawat (1987)
Geology 17: 428

Tanjungpandan
pluton,
Indonesia

Lehmann and
Harmanto (1990)
Econ Geol 85: 99

Zinnwald

Zinnstein = Cassiterit
SnO2
Dichte: ~7 g/cm3
Hrte: 6-7
(Quarz: Dichte 2,65 g/cm3
Hrte 7)

Zinnseifen
Altenberg/Zinnwald
Beyschlag et al.
(1910:4)

Gottesgabe, alte Sn-Seifen

Pinge bei Sadisdorf: Feuersetzen

Altenberg

Altenberg, Pinge

Ehrenfriedersdorf

Ehrenfriedersdorf: Schnittmuster-Greisen

Ehrenfriedersdorf: Schnittmuster-Greisen

Altenberg: Schnittmuster-Greisen (Li mica)

Altenberg: Schnittmuster-Greisen (Li mica)

Freiberger Gangrevier
Beyschlag et al.
(1912:165)

Cornwall: 2 Mt historic Sn production

Cligga Head,
Cornwall:
Sheeted vein
system

Cligga Head, Cornwall: Greisenized sheeted veins in K-feldspar megacrystic granite

Cligga Head, Cornwall: Greisenized sheeted veins in K-feldspar megacrystic granite

Tourmaline breccias

Pilok tin-tungsten mine, Thailand

Pilok, Thailand: Msc-alkalifsp microgranite (+ garnet) (L= 25 mm)

Pilok, Thailand: sheeted veins

Pha Pae, Thailand: Pegmatitic schlieren in microgranite

Dong Prig, Pilok, Thailand

Tako Pit Thong, Thailand: Endoskarn, 1-1.5% Sn

Phuket: Nong Hoiy mine

Kinta Valley,
Malaysia

Kinta Valley in 1991

Ipoh, Kinta Valley, Malaysia

Ipoh

Kinta River, Ipoh

Tekka (Tong Seng Mine), Malaysia

Tekka (Tong Seng Mine), Malaysia

Tekka: Qtz-Trm-SnO2-veinlets

Sluicing:
Nam Cheng Mine #2

Chenderiang Mine

Mine #4 (Southern Malayan Tin Dredging), Kinta Valley, in 1987

Mine #4 (Southern Malayan Tin Dredging), Kinta Valley, in 2009

Mine #4 (Southern Malayan Tin Dredging), Kinta Valley, in 2009

Tin Islands,
Indonesia

Belitung (Billiton) Island, Indonesia

Tanjungpandan, Belitung Island, Indonesia

Sijuk, Belitung Island, Indonesia

Tin dredge off Belitung Island, Indonesia

Change in seawater level Sunda Shelf (Hanbeuth et al., 2000, Science 288: 1034)
and global rise of CO2 in the atmosphere (Shakun et al., 2012, Nature 484: 49)

Holocene deglaciation starts about 20 kyr ago and levelled off 10 kyr later to initiate
the present interglacial Holocene epoch.
Sea level increase 15 kyr to 11 kyr: 50 m, i.e. 125 cm/100 years.

Mlynarczyk and Williams-Jones (2005) EPSL 240: 663

Mlynarczyk and Williams-Jones (2005) EPSL 240: 660

B
B
B
B
B
B

Lode; Carbonate replacement; Skarn; Porphyry; Greisen;

Mlynarczyk et al. (2003) Miner Dep 38: 558

Rhyolite-hosted;

VMS

Mlynarczyk et al. (2003)

MD 38: 564

Cerro Chacaltaya, 5400 m NN

Chacaltaya 1978

Chacaltaya granite porphyry (L 28 mm)

Chacaltaya granite porphyry (L 28mm)

Chacaltaya greisen: Qtz-msc-trm-SnO2 (+apatite) (L 28 mm, plane light)

Chacaltaya greisen: Qtz-msc-trm-SnO2 (+apatite) (L 28 mm, crossed nicols)

Greisen: Qtz-Msc rock (L 28 mm, crossed nicols)

Tourmaline pebble dyke: Chacaltaya

Chacaltaya:
greisenized granite pebble in tourmaline matrix

Chacaltaya: Tourmalinized graded bedding structure

Chacaltaya: Tourmalinized brachiopod in Silurian quartzite

1 cm

Kellhuani tin mine

Kellhuani tin mine: artesanal jig

Milluni tin mining: gravity separation

Kellhuani tin mantos

Kellhuani tin manto: tourmaline halos of quartz-cassiterite stockwork highlight the

paleo-permeability pattern

High-T cassiterite (prismatic), L=2 mm, reflected light, oil immersion

Low-T cassiterite, acicular (needle tin), L=2 mm, reflected light, air

Llallagua tin porphyry: tourmalinized quartz latite (L=26 mm)

Tourmaline

Sillitoe et al. (1975) Econ Geol 70: 913

Cerro Rico de Potosi: 50,000 t Ag mined,

remaining resource 143 Mt @ 174 g/t Ag, 0.1-0.25 % Sn)

Cerro Rico
de Potosi
Tourmaline and
cassiterite
replacing
phenocrysts of
plagioclase
and mafic
minerals in
sericitic and
argillic altered
dacite

50 m
Cerro Rico de Potosi: Melt inclusion in quartz

Cerro Rico: Melt inclusions and apatite needles in quartz (40x objective)

Dietrich et al.
(2000) Econ
Geol 95: 321

Simkin et al. (1989)

280

290
Yanacocha 10
Ma
UC
BD

AT
FL

SU

RU
PE

O
TI
N

10S

ILE
CH

La Granja 10 Ma
r
ne
In

San Rafael 24 Ma

Ri
dg
Na
zc
a

Collahuasi 33 Ma
>40 Ma

Oruro 21 Ma
Llallagua 21 Ma
Cerro Rico 14 Ma
Chorolque 16 Ma

ain
m

TR
EN
CH

Do

c
Ar

30-40 Ma

20S

300

Chuquicamata 32 Ma
Escondida 32 Ma
El Salvador 41 Ma
Los Pelambres 9 Ma
30SBronces 5-7 Ma
Los

Bajo de la
Alumbrera
5-8 Ma
FLAT
SUBDUCTION

<30 Ma

z Ridge
e
d
n
a
n
er
Juan F

El Teniente 5-7 Ma