Coltan (short for columbite–tantalites and known industrially as tantalite) is a dull black metallic ore from which the elements niobium and tantalumare are extracted. The niobium-dominant mineral in coltan is columbite (after niobium’s original American name, columbium), and the tantalum-dominant mineral is tantalite. Columbite has the same composition and crystal symmetry (orthorombic) as tantalite. In fact, the two are often grouped together as a semi-singular mineral series called columbite-tantalite or coltan in many mineral guides. However, tantalite has a much greater specific gravity than columbite, more than 8.0 compared to columbite’s 5.2.
REFINING
The extraction and refining of tantalum, including the separation from niobium in these various tantalum-containing mineral concentrates, is generally accomplished by treating the ores with a mixture of hydrofluoric and sulfuric acids at elevated temperatures. This causes the tantalum and niobium values to dissolve as complex fluorides and numerous impurities that were present also dissolve. Other elements such as silicon, iron, manganese, titanium, zirconium, uranium, thorium, rare earths, etc. are generally present. The filtration of the digestion slurry, and further processing via solvent extraction using methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) or liquid ion exchange using an amine extractant in kerosene, produces highly purified solutions of tantalum and niobium. Generally, the tantalum values in solution are converted into potassium tantalum fluoride (K2TaF7) or tantalum oxide (Ta2O5). The niobium is recovered as niobium oxide (Nb2O5) via neutralization of the niobium fluoride complex with ammonia to form the hydroxide, followed by calcination to the oxide.
APPLICATION
Coltan is used primarily for the production of tantalum capacitors, used in many electronic devices. Many sources mention coltan’s importance in the production of mobile phones, but tantalum capacitors are used in almost every kind of electronic device. Niobium and tantalum have a wide range of uses, including refractive lenses for glasses, cameras, phones and printers. They are also used in semiconductor circuits, and capacitors for small electronic devices such as hearing aids, pacemakers, and mp3 players, as well as in computer hard drives, automobile electronics, and surface acoustic wave (SAW) filters for mobile phones.
Coltan is also used to make high-temperature alloys for jet engines and air- and land-based turbines. More recently, the nickel-tantalum super-alloys used in jet engines account for 15% of tantalum consumption as at 2016.
MARKET
Export of crude Coltan ore is good business but refining to obtain pure Tantalum and Nobium ready to be used is better although it requires enormous investment so also is the return on investment. World consumption of refined Tantalum and Nobium was 70,000 metric tons in 2017. The leading refined Tantalum and Nobium consuming countries were China, the United States, Japan and Germany. Demand for Tantalum and Nobium worldwide is expected to grow largely because of increased consumption in China, which is being driven by growth in the electronics, mobile devices and other related products
REQUIREMENT AND CONDITIONS FOR MINING LEAD IN NIGERIA
There are two options available to a company or an individual to enter into the mining industry in Nigeria.
Through the acquisition of an existing mining Lease from the original owner, approval must be obtained from the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development for such a purchase.
Fresh mining lease
Procedure for Mineral Title Licences/Leases and Permits:
- Duly completed application form
- Coordinates of the area of application
- Certificate of incorporation
- Attestation
- Letter of consent from landowner(s)/occupier(s)
- Types of minerals
- Work programme/pre-feasibility report
- Evidence of payment
- Technical capability
- Financial capability
In order to encourage investment in the solid minerals industry in Nigeria, Government is offering the following incentives
- 3-5 years Tax Holiday
- Deferred royalty payments
- Possible capitalization of expenditure on exploration and surveys
- Extension of infrastructure such as roads and electricity to mining sites, and provision of 100% foreign ownership of mining concerns.
The mining industry in Nigeria is regulated by the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act of 2007, National Minerals and Metals Policy 2008 and Nigerian Minerals and Mining Regulations 2011.
CONCLUSION
Business Advisory Network ‘BAN’ will work with you and assist you to process mining lease from the federal government. We will help you source for a site with rich mineral content. Mining is a technical field although the financial reward is enormous; therefore to succeed you need experts to guide you to avoid fatal mistakes that will erode your capital.
Other things BAN can do for you include but not limited to help you to determine the grade of Coltan ore in the site, source market for your mined minerals, both locally and internationally BAN will also help you arrange security at your mining sites. It will interest you to know that export of refined pure TANTALUM AND NOBIUM is where you make a kill. BAN will help you to set up a refinery for Coltan ore in Nigeria. The capital outlay for this is huge but even so much more is the return on investment.