Tin

Real Metals · Uncommon · Timeless

Bend a bar of tin next to your ear and it screams, a thin crackle as the crystals inside slip past one another. It melts at 232°C, low enough for a kitchen fire, and it is far too soft to build with, so its work is done as a skin over something else: a tin coating on steel is what makes a tin can. In hard frost, pure tin can crumble into grey powder, a rot that spreads outward from a single spot.

Identity

Symbol
Sn
Atomic number
50
Source
Natural element
Used in
Bronze, Pewter
Also known as
Stannum, Sn
Ores, before industry and since
Cassiterite
Ores of the industrial age
Stannite
Ore deposits
Placer deposit, Hydrothermal vein (lode), Pegmatite deposit

Physical Properties

Appearance
Silvery-white, soft, produces a distinctive crackling sound when bent called 'tin cry'
Luster
Metallic
Density
7.29 g/cm³
Melting point
232 °C
Boiling point
2602 °C
Lighter
Frostcast Iron
Denser
Manganese
Magnetism
Non-magnetic
Electrical conductivity
Medium

Mechanical Properties

Mohs hardness
1.5
Tensile strength
15 MPa
Softer
Mercury
Harder
Aluminum
Workability
Easy
Brittleness
Moderate
Malleability
High
Ductility
Moderate

Chemical Properties

Corrosion resistance
High
Reactivity
Low

Lore & Narrative

The tin trade routes of the ancient world were among the most important commercial networks in history. Tin had to be brought from Cornwall, Afghanistan, and Anatolia to meet bronze-smiths in Mesopotamia and Egypt, creating some of the first long-distance trade networks.

Notable uses
Bronze alloy, tin plating, solder, pewter alloy
Forge uses
Alloys, Plating, Solder
Worldbuilding traits
Ancient, Alloy-base, Soft, Corrosion-resistant

Sources

Browse the Metal Encyclopedia — MGS Toolbox