Why in news?

• 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.
• According to experts, the presence of tantalum is significant as the metal is widely used in electronics and semiconductors.

What’s in today’s article?

• Tantalum
• Uses of tantalum
• Significance of the discovery of tantalum in the Sutlej River

What is tantalum?

• About
  • Tantalum is a rare metal with the atomic number 73 — the number of protons found in one atom of the element.
  • It is grey, heavy, very hard, and one of the most corrosion-resistant metals in use today.
  • Tantalum also has an extremely high melting point, exceeded only by tungsten and rhenium.
• Properties
  • It possesses high corrosion resistance.
    • 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.
  • It is almost completely immune to chemical attack at temperatures below 150°C, and is attacked only by hydrofluoric acid.
• Discovery
  • Tantalum was discovered by Anders Gustaf Ekenberg, a Swedish chemist, in 1802 in minerals obtained from Ytterby, Sweden.

Uses of tantalum

• Use in electronic sector
  • Tantalum is most prominently used in the electronics sector.
  • 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.
• A substitute for platinum
  • As tantalum has a high melting point, it is frequently used as a substitute for platinum, which is more expensive.
• In making surgical equipment and implants
  • Tantalum does not react with bodily fluids and is used to make surgical equipment and implants, like artificial joints.
• Cutting edges of high-speed machine tools
  • A composite consisting of tantalum carbide (TaC) and graphite is one of the hardest materials known and is used on the cutting edges of high-speed machine tools.
• Other uses
  • The rare metal is also used to make components for chemical plants, nuclear power plants, aeroplanes and missiles.

Significance of the discovery of tantalum in the Sutlej River

• Semiconductor manufacturing
  • The discovery of tantalum in the Sutlej River in Punjab is significant for India because of its value in electronics and semiconductors.
  • This is quite significant as Govt. has taken multiple steps in recent past to boost the semiconductor manufacturing in India.
• Boost to India’s critical mineral policy
  • The critical mineral policy lists 10 minerals (including Tantalum) where India entirely relies on imports.
    • The policy maps mineral requirements for a clutch of sectors including renewables, defence, electronics, telecommunications and transportation.
• Cut down dependence on China
• China’s hegemony over critical minerals is not optimal for India. Hence, this discovery will reduce India’s dependence on China.
• India’s ambitious renewable energy targets
  • India wants renewables’ share in the grid to rise to 500 GW by 2030.
  • It also wants 30% of private cars, 70% of commercial vehicles and 80% of two- and three-wheelers to go electric by 2030.
• State’s economy
  • The discovery of tantalum could potentially benefit the state's economy by promoting the mining of these valuable metals.