Industrial quantities of the rare metal tantalum have been discovered in Egypt's central-eastern desert, the official MENA agency reported. The 50 million-ton reserves, the fourth largest in the world, are located in Abu Dabab, adjacent to the coastal plain of the Red Sea, some 40 kilometers northeast of Marsa Alam.
Egyptian Industry and Technological Development Minister Mustafa Al-Rifai stated that a $40-million agreement was signed Monday, October 1, with the Australian consortium Gippsland to extract the mineral deposits over 30 years, reported AFP.
The silvery-gray metal is ductile with high density and a high melting point. As a good conductor of heat and electricity, and high resistance to most acids, it is used for the production of corrosion resistant chemical manufacturing equipment.
The major end use for tantalum is in the production of electronic components, mainly electrolytic capacitors. Alloyed with other metals, tantalum is also used in making carbide tools for metalworking equipment and in the production of super alloys for jet engine components, vacuum furnaces and missiles. It is also used in dental and surgical instruments and prostheses.
Prices and production of tantalum started rising in 1996, as the use of portable telephones, pagers, personal computers and automotive electronics entered a strong growth period. Hong Kong, China, Brazil, and Israel are the major recipients of the tantalum materials. The current market price of tantalum is around $150,000 a ton, according to AFP. The rare metal’s prices are not quoted, but individually fixed between buyer and seller.
Total tantalum production in the year 2000 was about 2,000 tons, with resources largely located in Western Australia, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Ethiopia and Zaire. Last year, identified resources of tantalum were stated to be about 100,000 tons, more then 50 percent of which was found in Australia. These reserves are considered adequate to meet projected needs. — (Mena Report)
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
