coltan

British  

/ ˈkɒlˌtæn /

noun

1. a metallic ore found esp in the E Congo, consisting of columbite and tantalite (a source of the element tantalum)

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Etymology

Origin of coltan

C20: from _columbite + _tantalite

Example Sentences

But it is also rich in gold and diamonds as well as bauxite and coltan, a mineral that contains a metal used in mobile phones, laptops and other electronics.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

“If you don’t have technical instruments to verify that it is coltan, it is very complex to seize it,” Martínez said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 25, 2026

Experts estimate that the M23 makes around $800,000 a month from the mine thanks to a $7-per-kilogram tax on the production and sale of coltan.

From Barron's • Feb. 1, 2026

Women and children were among those mining coltan - a mineral used to manufacture electronics such as smartphones and computers - at the time.

From BBC • Jan. 31, 2026

The Orinoco Mining Arc, covering 112,000 square kilometers, contains an estimated 300,000 metric tons of rare-earth elements, coltan worth $100 billion, and 200 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 5, 2026