Cassiterite?

Question

I have what I believe to be a large chunk of Cassiterite. Baseball sized and weighing about 6-8 pounds.

http://a389.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/56/l_ebcaa5140296e46de0cbb7e24b06bab4

Does this have any resale value at all? If so, how much? Thank you

http://a389.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/56/l_ebcaa5140296e46de0cbb7e24b06bab4.jpg

With the help of a friend, they guided me through testing it specific gravity and I got 18.3475. Does this help any?

Answer 1

Cassiterite has a specific gravity of around 7. Moreover anything as heavy as 18+ sp.gr. deserves special attention. Can it be Platinum or any other PGE ? Take it to the Geology Department of your nearest university for an identification. An AAS analysis will require only a small pinch of that specimen.
A small lump of Cassiterite is really of no value (as nobody will process it to extract tin) except as collectors item. But if it is PGE, that will have different values altogether.
It is a nice looking specimen, whatever may its composition be, you will always find a value for it in the universities if it something rare.

Answer 2

Cassiterite is tin oxide (SnO2, I think), and could be sold to a smelter. I do not know what the price of tin ore is, but I don't think it is very high. You might try selling it as a crystal on eBay or some mineral selling website. I would take it to a rock shop and ask them what they thought the value is. By the way, that is a nice specimen you have there. If it were me, I wouldn't let it go for anything less than $100.