Tin is one of the first metals known to mankind since ancient times. Since this discovery, the development of human society has been associated with this metal.
Tin along with silver, copper, gold, mercury, lead and iron gained fame in prehistoric times. Archaeological excavations and other historical finds suggest that people learned how to get tin several millennia ago. From that time jewelry and dishes were made from it, but metal was quite expensive. Mention of him is found even in the first copies of the Old Testament.
Nowadays, tin is known in its pure form as a silver-white metal. Most often, it occurs in the form of an oxide compound (tin stone). The melting temperature of tin among metals is considered the lowest, due to this material is easily smelted from tin - containing ores. Tin is a ductile soft metal, it is well processed (forging, rolling, machining, etc.), has a sufficiently large specific gravity and density. It has low thermal and electrical conductivity, is slightly susceptible to weathering.
At low temperatures, the metal not only changes color, but is also prone to the “tin plague” phenomenon. In this case, the destruction of tin products occurs. So, in 1812, under the influence of Russian frosts, tin buttons were destroyed by French soldiers. Given that the melting temperature of tin is quite low, furnaces for smelting it are usually simple in design.
Tin is a rather rare metal. It was smelted earlier from ore, which was directly in the upper layers of the earth's crust. In today's conditions, there are practically no such minerals, so the technology for producing tin is quite complex and time-consuming.
All tin-containing placers and ores go through the enrichment process, then the concentrate is sent to the kilns and only then to the smelter. When heated, the metal begins to melt. The melting point of tin is within 232 degrees. During smelting, using fluxes, slags and various additives, the material is obtained of the desired grade and quality.
The range of application of tin is quite wide, this element is widely used in various industries. In terms of its importance and usefulness, it has become a strategic metal, because it makes it possible to form alloys with various materials, and besides, it is extremely easy to process. And, of course, the low melting point of tin also plays an important role.
Tin is a non-toxic, corrosion-resistant material. Invented in the last century, a method of manufacturing tinplate (coating sheet metal with a tin layer) made it possible to produce safe containers for preserving food. The use of tinned iron revolutionized the food industry.
The ability to wet other metals and the low melting point of lead and tin made it possible to produce low-melting alloys (solders). The use of such alloys allows you to connect different structural units and parts, have a sealed seam.
The ability of tin to play the role of a protective layer is used in the nuclear industry. In addition, in the modern glass industry it is used for polishing glass. For this purpose, a liquid mass of glass is poured from the furnace into a vessel with molten tin. The solidification temperature of tin during slow cooling begins after it passes below the melting point. The resulting mixture in the form of a tape is first supplied to the kiln, and then to the cutting area.
The alloy of tin and copper , bronze, has been in great demand at all times. In the old days, before the advent of iron, various products, including weapons, were made from it. When people learned about the strength and wear-resistant qualities of bronze, they began to use it for the manufacture of bearings operating in difficult conditions with heavy loads.
Today it is difficult to find the scope of human activity, wherever tin is used in its pure form or in alloys.