Borrowed this from NCN any input fromothers would be appreciated
Tantalum's scientific symbol is Ta. It is a high density metal that occurs mainly in columbite-tantalite. Africa contains 80% of the world's tantalum deposits; 80% of that is located in the DR Congo. Rwanda also possesses a small minerals industry, including deposits of wolframite (tungsten ore) and columbite-tantalite. Natural tantalum contains two isotopes, one of which is radioactive with a very long half-life. Tantalum's high melting point makes it an important component in production of electronics heating elements, shields and vacuum furnaces, and in the production of tantalum capacitors. It is used in a variety of metallurgical processes, including the pharmaceutical, medical, defense, aerospace and electronic industries. Resistance to corrosion and other chemical attack makes it ideal for high corrosive environments. Tantalum is a very hard refractory metal; in pure state, it is ductile and able to be drawn into extremely fine wire and is used, for example, as filament for evaporating various metals like aluminum. Tantalum is almost completely resistant to chemical attack at temperatures below 150 degrees Centigrade. Tantalum capacitors have the highest capacitance per unit volume of any capacitors. It often serves as a component of alloys that show high melting points, high strength, and ductility. Alloys with cobalt, iron and nickel are used in aerospace applications, jet engines, and gas turbine parts. Tantalum carbide graphite composite is one of the hardest materials known. Tantalum oxide films show good rectifying and dielectric properties. About 60% of tantalum's use is in electrolytic capacitors and vacuum furnace parts. It is also used in production of chemical process equipment, nuclear reactors, aerospace technology and in manufacture of thin-film components and high-speed tools. Once again, we have not done an exhaustive research on the pricing, but we have seen $900 per kilogram.
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