IV.

Uses

Tin is a widely sought metal and is used in hundreds of industrial processes throughout the world. In the form of tinplate, it is used as a protective coating for copper vessels, various metals used in the manufacture of tin cans, and similar articles. Tin is important in the production of the common alloys bronze (tin and copper), solder (tin and lead), and type metal (tin, lead, and antimony) (see Metalwork). It is also used as an alloy with titanium in the aerospace industry and as an ingredient in some insecticides. Stannic sulfide, known also as mosaic gold, is used in powdered form for bronzing articles made of plaster of paris or wood.

The United States imports more than one-fifth of the average annual world production of tin. Most of the world's tin is produced by Malaysia, Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, Bolivia, and Australia.