Properties Element State: Solid Element Color: Silver or gray Element Density: 16650 kg m^-3 Element Melting Point: 3290 (3017 C(5463 F)) K Element Boiling Point: 5731 (5458 C(9856 F)) K Substance Reacts With: fluorine, F2, chlorine, Cl2, bromine, I2, and iodine, I2, to form respectively tantalum(V) bromide, TaF5, tantalum(V) chloride, TaCl5, tantalum(V) bromide, TaBr5, and tantalum(V) iodide, TaI5
Societal Connection The major use for tantalum, as the metal powder, is in the production of electronic components, mainly capacitors and some high-power resistors.
Production The primary mining of tantalum is in Australia, where the largest producer, Global Advanced Metals, formerly known as Talison Minerals, operates two mines in Western Australia, Greenbushes in the Southwest and Wodgina in the Pilbara region.