Why is it in the News?

A team of researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Ropar has found the presence of tantalum, a rare metal, in the Sutlej river sand in Punjab.

What is Tantalum?

• Tantalum is a rare metal with the atomic number 73.
• Tantalum was first discovered by Anders Gustaf Ekenberg, a Swedish chemist, in 1802.
• It has been named after a Greek mythological figure Tantalus.

Properties:

• It’s grey, heavy, very hard, and one of the most corrosion-resistant metals in use today.
• It possesses high corrosion resistance because when exposed to air, it forms an oxide layer that is extremely difficult to remove, even when it interacts with strong and hot acid environments.
• When pure, tantalum is ductile, meaning it can be stretched, pulled, or drawn into a thin wire or thread without breaking.
• Moreover, it “is almost completely immune to chemical attack at temperatures below 150°C, and is attacked only by hydrofluoric acid, acidic solutions containing the fluoride ion, and free sulphur trioxide.
• Notably, tantalum also has an extremely high melting point, exceeded only by tungsten and rhenium.

Applications:

• Tantalum is most prominently used in the electronic sector.
• The capacitors made from tantalum are capable of storing more electricity in smaller sizes without much leakage than any other type of capacitor.
• This makes them ideal for use in portable electronic devices such as smartphones, laptops, and digital cameras.
• As tantalum has a high melting point, it is frequently used as a substitute for platinum, which is more expensive.
• The rare metal is also used to make components for chemical plants, nuclear power plants, aeroplanes, and missiles.
• Tantalum does not react with bodily fluids and is used to make surgical equipment and implants, like artificial joints.