Coltan vs. Tantalum — What's the Difference?

Coltan (short for columbite–tantalites and known industrially as tantalite) is a dull black metallic ore from which the elements niobium and tantalum are extracted. The niobium-dominant mineral in coltan is columbite (after niobium's original American name columbium), and the tantalum-dominant mineral is the tantalite.Tantalum from coltan is used to manufacture tantalum capacitors which are used for mobile phones, personal computers, automotive electronics, and cameras.

Tantalum is a chemical element with the symbol Ta and atomic number 73. Previously known as tantalium, it is named after Tantalus, a villain from Greek mythology.

See columbite-tantalite.

A very hard, dense, gray metallic element that occurs chiefly in columbite-tantalite and is exceptionally resistant to chemical attack below 150°C. It is used to make electrolytic capacitors for portable electronic and computing devices; superalloys for aircraft, missile, and nuclear reactor parts; filaments; and surgical instruments. Atomic number 73; atomic weight 180.948; melting point 3,017°C; boiling point 5,458°C; specific gravity 16.4; valence 2, 3, 4, 5. See Periodic Table.

(mineralogy) A metallic ore, (Fe,Mn)(Ta,Nb)₂O₆, from which the elements niobium and tantalum are extracted.

A chemical element (symbol Ta) with atomic number 73: a rare, hard, blue-gray, lustrous transition metal that is highly corrosion-resistant.

A valuable black mineral combining niobite and tantalite; used in cell phones and computer chips

A rare nonmetallic element found in certain minerals, as tantalite, samarskite, and fergusonite, and isolated as a dark powder which becomes steel-gray by burnishing. Symbol Ta. Atomic weight 182.0. Formerly called also tantalium.

A hard gray lustrous metallic element that is highly corrosion-resistant; occurs in niobite and fergusonite and tantalite