Tantalite
| Tantalite | |
|---|---|
 Tantalite, Pilbara district, Australia | |
| General | |
| Category | Oxide minerals |
| Formula (repeating unit) | (Fe,Mn)Ta2O6 |
| IMA symbol | Ttl[1] |
| Strunz classification | 4.DB.35 |
| Crystal system | Orthorhombic |
| Crystal class | Dipyramidal (mmm) H-M symbol:(2/m 2/m 2/m) |
| Space group | Pbcn(no. 60) |
| Identification | |
| Color | Dark black, iron-black to dark brown, reddish brown |
| Cleavage | Good in one direction |
| Fracture | Subconchoidal |
| Mohs scalehardness | 6–6.5 |
| Luster | Submetallic to almost resinous |
| Streak | Brownish-red to black |
| Specific gravity | 8.0+ |
| References | [2][3] |
Themineralgrouptantalite[(Fe,Mn)Ta2O6] is the primary source of thechemical elementtantalum,acorrosion(heat andacid) resistant metal. It is chemically similar tocolumbite,and the two are often grouped together as a semi-singular mineral calledcoltanor "columbite-tantalite" in many mineral guides. However, tantalite has a much greaterspecific gravitythan columbite (8.0+ compared to columbite's 5.2).[3]Iron-rich tantalite is the mineral tantalite-(Fe) orferrotantaliteand manganese-rich is tantalite-(Mn) ormanganotantalite.
Tantalite is also very close totapiolite.Those minerals have the same chemical composition, but different crystal symmetry:orthorhombicfor tantalite andtetragonalfor tapiolite.[4]
Tantalite is black to brown in both color and streak.Manganese-rich tantalites can be brown andtranslucent.
Occurrence[edit]
Tantalite occurs in granitic pegmatites that are rich in rare-elements, and in placer deposits derived from such rocks.[5]It has been found inAustralia,Brazil,Canada,Colombia(GuainíaandVichada),Egypt,northernEurope,Madagascar,Namibia,Nigeria,Rwanda,The Democratic Republic of Congo,theUnited States(California,Colorado,Maine,andVirginia), andZimbabwe.Brazil has the world's largest reserve of tantalite (52.1%).[6]
Applications[edit]
The tantalum metal extracted from tantalite is used inalloysfor strength and highermelting points,inglassto increase theindexofrefraction,and insurgical steel,as it is non-reactive and non-irritating to body tissues. Much like glass, it is not suitable for use inhydrofluoric acidand strong hotalkaliapplications.[7]
Sustainability[edit]
The mining of tantalite causes manyenvironmentaland social problems in theDemocratic Republic of Congo.[8][9]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^Warr, L.N. (2021)."IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols".Mineralogical Magazine.85(3): 291–320.Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W.doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43.S2CID235729616.
- ^"TANTALITE (Iron Manganese Tantalum Niobium Oxide)".Galleries.com.Retrieved2011-10-25.
- ^abTantalite.Mindat.org (2011-09-07). Retrieved on 2011-10-30.
- ^P. Cerny; et al. (1992)."The tantalite-tapiolite gap: natural assemblages versus experimental data"(PDF).Canadian Mineralogist.30:587.
- ^Melcher, Frank; et al. (June 2008)."Fingerprinting of conflict minerals: columbite-tantalite (" coltan ") ores".SGA News(23): 1.Retrieved10 August2016.
- ^Papp, John F. (2006)."2006 Minerals Yearbook Nb & Ta".US Geological Survey.Retrieved2008-06-03.
- ^Titan Metal Fabricators. Alloys. Applications of Tantalum.Retrieved on 2022-07-08.
- ^Coltan, Gorillas and cellphonesArchived2005-04-07 at theWayback Machine.Cellular-news.com (2001-04-03). Retrieved on 2011-10-30.
- ^The Coltan Scandal.Geology.about.com (2010-07-04). Retrieved on 2011-10-30.
External links[edit]
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