Natural Tantalites Overview
 Tantalite crystallizes in the orthorhombic system and is common in short prismatic crystals. The luster is submetallic and the color iron black. Tantalite is the principal ore of tantalum. It is found chiefly in granite pegmatites and as a detrital mineral, in some places in important amounts, having weathered from such rocks.
Tantalite forms a series with the mineral columbite. In fact the two are often grouped together as a semi-singular mineral called columbite-tantalite in many mineral guides. A series is where two or more elements can occupy the same places within a crystal structure and their respective percentages can then vary. The two minerals of this series have similar properties since they have the same structure and similar chemistries (tantalum and niobium are very similar elements). Tantalite is the more tantalum rich end member and columbite is the more niobium rich end member. Niobium had been called columbium hence the name columbite.
Physical Properties
| Color |
red-brown, brown, black |
| Refractive Index |
2.24 |
| Chemistry |
(Fe,Mn)(Ta,Nb)2O6 |
| Hardness |
6 - 6.5 |
| Density |
5.18 - 8.20 |
| Crystal Group |
Orthorhombic |
| Ocurrence |
USA, Canada, Madagascar, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Pakistan, Africa |
Legend and Lore
Browse Tantalites
The pictures above only represents the general appearance of the Tantalite. Please note that the real Tantalites in our stock will be of varied shapes, color and sizes.
|
