page_title: Tantalite
hierarchical_section_title: Tantalite
caption_attribution_description: English: Tantalite, Pilbara district, Australia. Mineral collection of Brigham Young University, Department of Geology, Provo, Utah. . BYU index4-8037, (FeMn)O - (TaNb)_2O_5.
context_page_description: The mineral group tantalite [Ta₂O₆] is the primary source of the chemical element tantalum. It is chemically similar to columbite, and the two are often grouped together as a semi-singular mineral called coltan or "columbite-tantalite" in many mineral guides. However, tantalite has a much greater specific gravity than columbite. Iron-rich tantalite is the mineral tantalite- or ferrotantalite and manganese-rich is tantalite- or manganotantalite.
  Tantalite is also very close to tapiolite. Those minerals have same chemical composition, but different crystal symmetry orthorhombic for tantalite and tetragonal for tapiolite.
  Tantalite is black to brown in both color and streak. Manganese-rich tantalites can be brown and translucent.
context_section_description: The mineral group tantalite  [(Fe, Mn)Ta₂O₆] is the primary source of the chemical element tantalum. It is chemically similar to columbite, and the two are often grouped together as a semi-singular mineral called coltan or "columbite-tantalite" in many mineral guides. However, tantalite has a much greater specific gravity than columbite (8.0+ compared to columbite's 5.2). Iron-rich tantalite is the mineral tantalite-(Fe) or ferrotantalite and manganese-rich is tantalite-(Mn) or manganotantalite.
  Tantalite is also very close to tapiolite. Those minerals have same chemical composition, but different crystal symmetry orthorhombic for tantalite and tetragonal for tapiolite.
  Tantalite is black to brown in both color and streak. Manganese-rich tantalites can be brown and translucent.
caption: Tantalite, Pilbara district, Australia
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