Minerals and Metals
Our core products:
The following is a complete listing of the metallic elements that we deal with. We specialize in the minerals of the refractory of high temperature metals.
We deal with these elements in a variety of forms from the mineral concentrates and ores, massive metals, ingots and cathodes, chemical products ,oxides, sulphates, and finally as scrap.
Reflecting our core interests Stapleford Trading is a member of the Minor Metals Trade Association and the Tantalum Niobium International Study Center
Cassiterite
Cassiterite is the primary ore of Tin and forms in high temperature hydrothermal veins, and some contact metamorphic rocks. It is frequently found concentrated in alluvial placer deposits. The chemical unit of Cassiterite is Tin (IV) Oxide, the unit formula being SnO2. Cassiterite forms tetragonal crystal systems, which are brown to black in colour, 6-7/10 on the Mohs hardness scale with a specific gravity of 7.
The price of Cassiterite is made by reference to the amount of Tin metal contained by weight. Typically the London Metal Exchange 3 month US Dollar Official futures price for a metric tonne of 99.85% tin, or the Kuala Lumpur Tin Market daily price, is used as a reference, with a suitable deduction taken to price Tin contained in Cassiterite per tonne. This deduction accounts for costs of transport, conversion of Tin contained in ore into Tin metal.
Our traded Cassiterite is physically processed from run of mine ore to give higher Tin content and minimal amounts of deleterious impurities. Typical specifications are include a percentage by weight of Tin of greater than 65%, and a combined impurities of Fe, Mn, and WO4 of less than 3.5% by weight. Other deleterious impurities such as (but not limited to) Sulphur, Arsenic, and Lead should be as low as possible.