A team of researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Ropar has found the presence of tantalum, a rare metal, in the Sutlej river sand in Punjab.
Key points
- The presence of tantalum is significant not only for Punjab but also India as the metal is widely used in electronics and semiconductors.
- Tantalum is a rare metal with the atomic number 73 — the number of protons found in one atom of the element.
- The rare metal has been named after a Greek mythological figure Tantalus, the rich but wicked king of a town above Mount Sipylus in Anatolia.
- It’s grey, heavy, very hard, and one of the most corrosion-resistant metals in use today.
- It possesses high corrosion resistance because when exposed to air, it forms an oxide layer that is extremely difficult to remove, even when it interacts with strong and hot acid environments.
- When pure, tantalum is ductile, meaning it can be stretched, pulled, or drawn into a thin wire or thread without breaking.
- Tantalus is best known for the terrible punishment he received from Zeus after the former tried to serve his son at a feast with the gods.
- The capacitors made from tantalum are capable of storing more electricity in smaller sizes without much leakage than any other type of capacitor.
- This makes them ideal for use in portable electronic devices such as smartphones, laptops, and digital cameras.
- Tantalum has a high melting point, it is frequently used as a substitute for platinum.
- It is also used to make components for chemical plants, nuclear power plants, aeroplanes and missiles.
