TIN

PRINCIPAL ORES
TINSTONE OR CASSITERITE TIN IS THE 49TH MOST ABUNDANT ELEMENT. THIS SILVERY,MALLEABLE POOR METAL IS NOT EASILY OXIDIZED IN AIR AND IS USED TO COAT OTHER METALS TO PREVENT CORROSION. THE FIRST ALLOY, USED IN LARGE SCALE SINCE 3000 BC, WAS BRONZE, AN ALLOY OF TIN AND COPPER. IN MODERN TIMES TIN IS USED IN MANY ALLOYS, MOST NOTABLY TIN/LEAD SOFT SOLDERS, TYPICALLY CONTAINING 60% OR MORE OF TIN. ANOTHER LARGE APPLICATION FOR TIN IS CORROSION-RESISTANT TIN PLATING OF STEEL. BECAUSE OF ITS LOW TOXICITY, TINPLATED METAL IS ALSO USED FOR FOOD PACKAGING, GIVING THE NAME TO TIN CANS, WHICH ARE MADE MOSTLY OF STEEL.

MANUFACTURING
THE ORE IS CRUSHED AND WASHED TO REMOVE IMPURITIES. IT IS THEN CALCINED IN A REVOLVING CALCINER. THE CALCINED ORE IS ALLOWED TO COOL. AFTER COOLING, IT IS WASHED WITH WATER. THE LIQUID IS ALLOWED TO REST. THE REFINED TINSTONE COLLECTS AT THE BOTTOM AS IT IS HEAVY. IT IS THEN SMELTED IN A FURNACE WITH ANTHRACITE COAL AND SAND. IT IS FINELY REFINED IN A REVERBERATORY FURNACE TO OBTAIN COMMERCIALLY PURE TIN.

PROPERTIES
TIN IS A MALLEABLE, DUCTILE AND HIGHLY CRYSTALLINE SILVERY-WHITE METAL. WHEN A BAR OF TIN IS BENT, A CRACKLING SOUND KNOWN AS THE TIN CRY CAN BE HEARD DUE TO THE TWINNING OF THE CRYSTALS. TIN MELTS AT A LOW TEMPERATURE OF ABOUT 232 C, WHICH IS FURTHER REDUCED TO 177.3 C FOR 11-NM PARTICLES. TIN RESISTS CORROSION FROM WATER BUT CAN BE ATTACKED BY ACIDS AND ALKALIES. TIN CAN BE HIGHLY POLISHED AND IS USED AS A PROTECTIVE COAT FOR OTHER METALS. IN THIS CASE THE FORMATION OF A PROTECTIVE OXIDE LAYER IS USED TO PREVENT FURTHER OXIDATION. THIS OXIDE LAYER FORMS ON PEWTER AND OTHER TIN ALLOYS. TIN ACTS AS A CATALYST WHEN OXYGEN IS IN SOLUTION AND HELPS ACCELERATE CHEMICAL ATTACK.

USES
TIN IS RARELY USED ALONE. USED FOR PLATING, LINING LEAD PIPES AND FOR THE PREPARATION OF ALLOYS AND SOLDER. THE PURE TIN IS COMMERCIALLY USED FOR MAKING EVAPORATING BASINS, INFUSION POTS. ALSO USED FOR GIVING PROTECTIVE COATING AND IRON UTENSILS. THE STEEL SHEETS COATED WITH TIN ARE USED FOR MAKING CANS FOR FOOD, FRUIT AND MILK INDUSTRY. THE TIN-FOILS ARE USED FOR SILVERING OF MIRRORS AND FOR WRAPPING UP CHEESE, CHOCOLATES, TOBACCO, TOILET SOAPS.