Stannite Stannite Stannite is a mineral, a sulfide of copper, iron, and tin. The chemical formula CuFeSnS. Zinc commonly occurs with the iron and trace germanium may be present. Stannite is used as an ore of tin, consisting of approximately 28% tin, 13% iron, 30% copper, 30% sulfur by mass. It is found in tin-bearing, hydrothermal vein deposits occurring with chalcopyrite, sphalerite, tetrahedrite, arsenopyrite, pyrite, cassiterite, and wolframite. It is also known as "bell metal ore" as tin is an important constituent of bell-metal. It is thought the exploitation of tin deposits in Cornwall led to an expansion in bell founding.
Ore Mountains Mountains in the vicinity of newly discovered ore deposits. Typical examples are the towns of Marienberg, Oberwiesenthal, Gottesgab ("Boží Dar"), Sebastiansberg ("Hora Sv. Šebestiána") and Platten ("Horní Blatná"). Economically, however, only silver and tin ores were used. From that time, the wealth of Saxony was built on the silver mines of the Ore Mountains. As a metal used for coinage, silver was minted on site in the mountain towns into money. The "Joachimsthaler" coins, minted in the valley of "Joachimsthal", became famous and gave their name to the medieval coin known as the "Thaler" from which the word "dollar" is