News Excerpt:

Researchers from IIT (Ropar) have found the presence of tantalum, a rare metal, in the Sutlej River sand in Punjab.

What is Tantalum?

• It is a rare metal; it is grey, heavy, and tough and is known for being one of the most corrosion-resistant metals. 
• Background: This rare metal was named after a Greek mythological figure, Tantalus, who was known to be wealthy. 
  • Swedish chemist Anders Gusgutf Ekenberg discovered tantalum in 1802. Eckenberg initially believed that Only niobium had been found in a different form.
  • However, this issue was resolved in 1866 when the Swiss chemist Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac proved that tantalum And niobium are two different metals.
• Location in Periodic Table: Tantalum is with the atomic number 73 — the number of protons found in one atom of the element.
  • A periodic table is a tabular display where all the elements are organised according to their chemical properties.

Application of Tantalum:

• In electronics and semiconductors:

• • Tantalum is widely used in the electronics and semiconductor industry because of its unique characteristics. 
  • The capacitors made of Tantalum can store more electricity without much leakage than any other capacitors. This usage makes the metal ideal for use in portable devices, including smartphones, laptops, and cameras.

• In the jewellery sector:

• • It is also a cheap alternative to platinum, widely used for jewellery and in converters for cars, trucks, and buses.

• In heavy industries:

• • A composite consisting of Tantalum Carbide (TaC) and Graphite in Tantalum is one of the hardest materials known and is used on the cutting edges of high-speed machine tools.

• In the defence sector:

• Tantalum is also prominently used in the defence sector in chemical plants, nuclear power plants, missiles, and fighter jets.