tantalite
Sign in to saveThe mineral group tantalite [(Fe, Mn)Ta2O6] is the primary source of the chemical element tantalum, a corrosion (heat and acid) resistant metal. It is chemically similar to columbite, and the two are often grouped together as a semi-singular mineral called coltan or "columbite-tantalite" in many mineral guides. However, tantalite has a much greater specific gravity than columbite (8.0+ compared to columbite's 5.2). Iron-rich tantalite is the mineral tantalite-(Fe) or ferrotantalite and manganese-rich is tantalite-(Mn) or manganotantalite.
Key facts
- Mineral.name
- Tantalite
- Mineral.image
- Tantalite.jpg
- Mineral.imagesize
- 260px
- Mineral.caption
- Tantalite, Pilbara district, Australia
- Mineral.category
- Oxide minerals
- Mineral.formula
- (Fe,Mn)Ta2O6
- Mineral.IMAsymbol
- Ttl
- Mineral.strunz
- 4.DB.35
- Mineral.system
- Orthorhombic
- Mineral.class
- Dipyramidal (mmm) H-M symbol: (2/m 2/m 2/m)
- Mineral.symmetry
- Pbcn (no. 60)
- Mineral.color
- Dark black, iron-black to dark brown, reddish brown
- Mineral.cleavage
- Good in one direction
- Mineral.fracture
- Subconchoidal
- Mineral.mohs
- 6–6.5
- Mineral.luster
- Submetallic to almost resinous
- Mineral.streak
- Brownish-red to black
- Mineral.gravity
- 8.0+
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The mineral group tantalite [(Fe, Mn)Ta2O6] is the primary source of the chemical element tantalum, a corrosion (heat and acid) resistant metal. It is chemically similar to columbite, and the two are often grouped together as a semi-singular mineral called coltan or "columbite-tantalite" in many mineral guides. However, tantalite has a much greater specific gravity than columbite (8.0+ compared to columbite's 5.2). Iron-rich tantalite is the mineral tantalite-(Fe) or ferrotantalite and manganese-rich is tantalite-(Mn) or manganotantalite.
Tantalite is also very close to tapiolite. Those minerals have the same chemical composition, but different crystal symmetry: orthorhombic for tantalite and tetragonal for tapiolite.