A visual guide to artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) of tantalite
Tantalum (Ta)
All, Miners
In 2013/2014 Ulric Schwela, T.I.C.’s then Technical Officer, visited ASM mine sites in Burundi, DRC and Rwanda. These photographs show typical tantalite ASM processes, although in reality operations vary considerably.
The extraction and refining of tantalum, including its separation from niobium in various tantalum-containing mineral concentrates, is generally accomplished by treating the ores with a mixture of hydrofluoric and sulfuric
Extraction or production of tantalum raw materials is widespread, encompassing primary industrial mining, artisanal mining, as a secondary mineral, or as a by-product. Brazil is currently the major producer, with
