Mineral Resource of the Month: Tantalum - EARTH Magazine
Tantalum minerals contain 12 to 84 percent tantalum pentoxide; however, tantalum ores are low grade and contain only 0.01 to 1 percent tantalum pentoxide, which is equivalent to 0.1 to 10 kilograms per metric ton. As a result, to produce concentrates of tantalum, tantalite ore must be separated from other minerals in the ore.