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coltan

British

/ ˈkɒlˌtæn /

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of coltan

C20: from _columbite + _tantalite

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

coltan

The move could help China secure essential supply chains for critical minerals such as cobalt, copper and coltan.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 23, 2026

Last December, the US and DR Congo agreed a partnership to increase access to the region's vast deposits of minerals such as cobalt, coltan and copper.

From BBC ● May 1, 2026

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

But Venezuela is also rich in minerals such as gold and diamonds, as well as bauxite, coltan and other rare materials used to make computers and mobile phones.

From Barron's ● Mar. 10, 2026

Below the jungle lie diamonds, gold and coltan, a compound containing elements needed for cellphones, electric vehicles and more.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 26, 2026

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023