1673 J. Ray 122 The head tin passes to the wreck, where they work it with a wooden rake in Vessels.
1753 Suppl. (at cited word) When the [tin] ore has been pounded and twice washed, that part of it which lies uppermost or makes the surface of the mass in the tub, is called the Head-tin.
1858–9 J. Weale (ed. 2) 221/2 Head-tin, a preparation of tin-ore towards the fitting it for working into metal.