What are Tantalum (Ta) and Niobium (Nb)?

1. WHAT ARE TANTALUM (Ta) AND NIOBIUM (Nb)? Tantalum is a crucial part of
Rare earth metallic elements that are often found the electronics industry...
to power small electronic
together in rocks called carbonatites. Carbonatites
devices such as iPods,
are relatively rare rocks; only 500 clusters of mobile phones and laptops.
carbonatites are known to exist in the world. Most
tantalum and niobium occurs in Brazil, central
Africa, Australia and Canada.
TANTALUM AND NIOBIUM
METALS FOR TODAY’S
TECHNOLOGY
73 TANTALUM instruments and medical implants (pace-
Ta
Tantalum
Tantalum is present in our lives
every day and is used in many
makers, stents, hip replacements).
• Tantalum has an extraordinary resis-
180.95 ways, improving technology and tance to heat, meaning it will not
material performance. Its many heat up as much as other metals and
applications include electronics, medicine, is therefore suitable for use in the aero-
engineering and energy generation. Tantalum space industry in jet engines, where high
has many features that make it both useful end reliability is important, plus it is used
and common in our lives. for carbide cutting tools.
• Tantalum is also very resistant to corrosion • A lack of a global supply of tantalum
THE MANY FEATURES OF TANTALUM by chemicals so it is often incorporated delayed the launch of PlayStation 2 for
• Tantalum has an amazing ability to store into pipes, tanks and vessels used for nearly two years.
and release more electricity than any other chemical production. • Tantalum can often be substituted
material on the planet. This is why tanta- • Tantalum is used in making glass for for the much more expensive metal
lum is an important part of micro-capac- camera lenses. platinum.
itors which control the flow of electricity • Demand for tantalum is on the rise and
in small electronic devices such as mobile OTHER TANTALUM FACTS known inventories of tantalum are unable
phones, iPods, laptops, computers, digital • Tantalum is a crucial part of the to meet the rising demand.
cameras, automotive electronics, video electronics industry with more than half • Tantalum does not trade on a commodities
and games (PlayStations, X-Box). of the tantalum consumed each year market like other metals such as gold or
• Tantalum is hypoallergenic, meaning that being used to make micro-capacitors to copper, but in negotiated markets where
the human body does not react to tanta- power small electronic devices such as pricing is considered confidential between
lum therefore it can be used in surgical iPods, mobile phones and laptops. buyer and seller.

2. 41
NIOBIUM ETHICAL TANTALUM
Nb
Niobium
About 85% of the world’s
niobium is used to produce
Coltan is the African name for tantalum
products extracted from the earth. Significant
and associated human rights abuses continue.
It is based on this awareness that there is a
92.91 specialty steel products that amounts of coltan have been, and continue to movement underway for tantalum buyers to
can withstand high tempera- be, mined from the Democratic Republic of pay premium prices for “clean’’ tantalum
tures and will never rust. Congo (DRC) in east Africa. Mining practices in certified as coming from more ethical sources
this part of the world are reported by the United such as Canada. Canada and British Columbia
Niobium’s greatest value is in its strength Nations (UN) to often be conducted illegally offer a stable political environment with stable
as an alloy. An alloy is an element that, and to be associated with extreme human- laws that protect human rights as well as the
when mixed with another metal or metals, rights violations that include child labour, environment. These are becoming serious
makes them a better-quality product. amongst other offences. This situation is well considerations for investors and buyers of
documented by the United Nations and is the tantalum who seek long-term contracts and
FEATURES OF NIOBIUM primary reason that the largest contingent of secure sources of supply. Additionally, on
When added to steel, niobium can make UN forces is stationed in the DRC. the consumer side, there have been several
it much harder so that it can be used in very successful campaigns in the European
the construction of structures such as Additionally, funds from the sale of African Union with slogans like: “No blood in my
bridges and buildings. coltan are known to support military and cell phone’’ and “Gorilla-safe cell phones’’.
tribal violence. In 2002 and 2004 the United These campaigns and the recent passage in
Given that the addition of only 2% of Nations cited the pursuit of coltan as one the United States of the Conflict Minerals Bill
niobium to standard steel can increase its of the primary reasons for the civil war with suggest that there will be increased pressure
pressure per square inch (PSI) capacity Rwanda that led to the deaths of over 3 million from both consumers and international
from 40,000 PSI to 120,000 PSI without people. The UN estimates that $750M of governments to prove that products are made
increasing the weight of the steel, it is profits from illicit coltan mining funded war ethically using “green’’ inputs. Right now
used in the aerospace and automotive chests in the DRC between the years 2000- about one in three cell phones and laptops are
industries to improve fuel efficiency by 2004. The armies of Uganda and Burundi are estimated to contain blood tantalum.
reducing the weight of the steel used also implicated in smuggling coltan out of the
while maintaining its strength. DRC for illegal re-sale, as well as a number It is the sincere hope of Commerce Resources
of western-based mining companies, metals that the successful exploration and develop-
Specialty steel that contains niobium can brokers and metals processors who partnered ment of their Upper Fir deposit within the
be found in: oil and gas pipelines, car with the Rwandans. Various studies confirm Blue River Tantalum-Niobium property will
bodies, railroad tracks, jet engines, cutting that coltan sales continue to fuel civil war in ultimately provide an alternative source of tan-
tools, ship hulls and structural steel. the DRC and Rwanda. The expected increasing talum that hopefully will help curtail the war
demand for tantalum, and a shortage of and human rights abuses associated with the
supply, has the potential to ensure this war illegal extraction of coltan in Africa.
Funds from the
illegal sale of
African coltan
(tantalum) are
known to support
military and
tribal violence.
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