Research Results For 'Tantalite'

TANTALUM

Tantalum is a rare silvery-looking metal element with the symbol Ta. It is found chiefly in tantalite and obtained by reducing to potassium flouro-tantalate by means of sodium followed by fusion in vacuo. Tantalum is used as a wire in electric lamps. Tantalum was discovered by A G Ekeberg in 1802, but the metal was not isolated until 1905. Combined with carbon, tantalum becomes almost as hard as diamond, and has been used to increase the hardness and tensile strength of steel. Tantalum is unaffected by most acids.
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TANTALITE

Tantalite is a heavy mineral of an iron-black colour and sub-metallic lustre. It is essentially a tantalate of iron. Tantalite is formed in igneous rocks, especially granite pegmatite, and in placer deposits. It is associated with amblygonite, apatite, beryl, cassiterite, feldspar, quartz, spodumene and tourmaline. Tantalite is the main ore of tantalum.
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