Unit 7-11 Vantage Park, Coborn Avenue, Sheffield, S9 1DA, United Kingdom
+44 (0) 1709 918 120
Unit 7-11 Vantage Park, Coborn Avenue, Sheffield, S9 1DA, United Kingdom
+44 (0) 1709 918 120
Tantalum occurs naturally in many different ores, the most common one being Tantalite. Pure tantalite (Fe, Mn, Ta2O6) is only mined in a small number of locations worldwide, mostly in Australia. Most Tantalum is mined in the form of Coltan (a mixture of Columbite and Tantalite) in Central African countries such as the Congo and Rwanda. Coltan is considered a conflict element and is currently protected under the Dodd-Frank Act, which states that all US companies must audit their supply chains and declare any conflict elements from the DRC or surrounding countries. Currently around 1,100 tonnes of Tantalum are produced per year.
The majority of its global usage is in the form of a powder for electronics applications, both as a pure metal and as an oxide. Tantalum Pentoxide has excellent capacitance properties which are vital in a wide range of consumer electronics such as phones, tablets and computers. Tantalum’s high melting point, strength and ductility have also found it a place in a range of superalloys and carbide products. Tantalum also finds niche applications in Aerospace, furnace parts and as a substitute for Platinum in situations where chemical inertness is important such as lab equipment.
ICD has a huge wealth of experience working with Tantalum, and we can currently supply it in a variety of different forms, including:
|
Atomic Number |
73 |
|
Atomic Mass |
180.95 |
|
Oxidation States |
5, 4, 3, 2, 1, -1, -3 |
|
Density |
16.69g/cm3 |
|
Crystal Structure |
Body-Centred Cubic |
|
Melting Point |
3290K |
|
Boiling Point |
5731K |
|
E Modulus |
186 GPa |
|
G Modulus |
69 GPa |
|
Vickers Hardness |
870-1200 MPa |
