tantalite

American  

[tan-tl-ahyt] / ˈtæn tlˌaɪt /

noun

1. a black, crystalline mineral, iron tantalate, (Fe, Mn) Ta 2 O 6 , the principal ore of tantalum and an end member of a series of solid solutions in which manganese and niobium combine to form columbite.

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tantalite British  

/ ˈtæntəˌlaɪt /

noun

1. a heavy brownish mineral consisting of a tantalum oxide of iron and manganese in orthorhombic crystalline form: it occurs in coarse granite, often with columbite, and is an ore of tantalum. Formula: (Fe,Mn)(Ta,Nb) 2 O 6

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Etymology

Origin of tantalite

First recorded in 1795–1805; tantal(um) + -ite ¹

Example Sentences

The villages also sit on deposits of other minerals including tantalite, copper and lithium, in strong demand for its use in electric vehicles and clean energy tech.

From Barron's • Dec. 19, 2025

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has abundant reserves of diamonds, gold, coltan, copper, tantalite, wolframite, manganese and uranium.

From US News • Jun. 13, 2014

Belgian Congo and Australia produced some tantalite ore, but shipping difficulties made it hard to get.

From Time Magazine Archive

They are probably present in the form of columbite, a niobate of iron and manganese; and tantalite, a tantalate of the same metals.

From A Text-book of Assaying: For the Use of Those Connected with Mines. by Beringer, Cornelius

It is usually found associated with tantalum, the chief minerals containing these two elements being tantalite, columbite, fergusonite and yttrotantalite; it is also a constituent of pyrochlor, euxenite and samarskite.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 6 "Cockaigne" to "Columbus, Christopher" by Various