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Minor Metals 2004

Minor Metals 2004. Developments in the tantalum market. Tantalum-Niobium International Study Center. Judy Wickens Secretary General. Tantalum in your life . Capacitors Medical applications Alloys Carbides Chemical industry. Tantalum?. Raw materials Extracting the metal Products

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Minor Metals 2004

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  1. Minor Metals 2004 Developments in the tantalum market

  2. Tantalum-Niobium International Study Center Judy Wickens Secretary General

  3. Tantalum in your life • Capacitors • Medical applications • Alloys • Carbides • Chemical industry

  4. Tantalum? • Raw materials • Extracting the metal • Products • Applications and uses

  5. Tantalum… • Metallic element • Grey (colour similar to steel) • Very dense (16.6 g/cc) • High melting point (2996°C) • Ductile (wire) • Malleable (sheet) • Resists corrosion (body fluids, acids…)

  6. Sources of minerals • Australia (over 50%) • Brazil • Canada • China • Africa: Ethiopia, Nigeria, DRC, Rwanda, Mozambique… • Future: Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Greenland? SUPPLY WILL MEET REQUIREMENTS

  7. Wodgina Mine

  8. Tantalum raw materials productionby T.I.C. members

  9. Processors of tantalum minerals Situated in • Germany • China • Japan • Thailand • Kazakhstan • United States

  10. Transport difficulties • International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Regulation TS-R-1 • Very low levels of uranium and thorium in minerals • Denial of shipment can occur

  11. Refining metal from minerals • Treat with HF / H2SO4 • Separate with MIBK (methyl iso-butyl ketone) • Produce Ta2O5 or K2TaF7 (K-salt) • Treat with liquid Na: reduce Ta2O5 to Ta

  12. T.I.C. members2003 (estimates) • Processors’ receipts: 3.20 M lb Ta contained (3.91 M lb Ta2O5 contained) • Processors’ shipments: 3.33 M lb Ta contained

  13. Processors’ shipments (members)2003: 3.33 M lb Ta contained

  14. Tantalum capacitors • In 2003 T.I.C. capacitor manufacturers received • 1.339 M lb tantalum powder • 0.216 M lb tantalum wire • World tantalum capacitor production • 19 428 M tantalum capacitors

  15. Applications for capacitors

  16. Electronics Features of capacitors: • Reliable, long life • High capacitance in low volume • Resistant to temperature changes • Low voltage – saves battery life Uses other than in capacitors: • Ta2O5 diffusion barrier for semiconductors • Print heads for laser printers

  17. Medical applications • Capacitors in implantable devices, such as pacemakers • Tantalum metal as clips, mesh, implants • Tantalum coating on steel or alloy devices • Research: muscle stimulation

  18. Serving other industries • Alloys for jet engines – high temperature, high efficiency, low emissions • Carbides in cutting tools • Chemical industry – tanks, pipes, linings, pump components, valves

  19. T.I.C. • Tantalum-Niobium International Study Center • 40 rue Washington • 1050 Brussels, Belgium • Tel: +32 2 649 51 58 • Fax: +32 2 649 64 47 • E-mail: info@tanb.org • www.tanb.org

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