Perfect 👍 — next in **periodic table order** is **Tantalum (Ta, atomic number 73).**
Tantalum is a **transition metal** that occurs primarily in **columbite-tantalite ((Fe,Mn)(Nb,Ta)₂O₆)**. Extraction involves **acid leaching, solvent extraction, and reduction** to produce high-purity tantalum metal.
Here are the **20 most common methods of extracting Tantalum**:
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# **20 Most Common Methods of Extracting Tantalum**
### **A. Extraction from Ores**
1. **Mining of Columbite-Tantalite Ores** – Primary source of tantalum.
2. **Crushing and Grinding of Ores** – Prepares material for chemical processing.
3. **Gravity and Magnetic Separation** – Concentrates tantalum and niobium ores.
4. **Alkaline Digestion (NaOH or KOH Fusion)** – Converts Ta and Nb oxides to soluble salts.
5. **Acid Digestion (HF, H₂SO₄, or HCl)** – Dissolves tantalum compounds.
6. **Removal of Iron and Manganese Impurities** – Precipitates unwanted elements.
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### **B. Separation of Tantalum from Niobium**
7. **Solvent Extraction Using Methyl Isobutyl Ketone (MIBK) or Organophosphorus Compounds** – Separates Ta⁵⁺ from Nb⁵⁺.
8. **Fractional Precipitation with Hydrofluoric Acid** – Precipitates tantalum separately from niobium.
9. **Ion Exchange Chromatography** – Laboratory or industrial separation of Ta from Nb.
10. **Liquid-Liquid Extraction** – Industrial method to purify Ta from mixed REE/Nb solutions.
11. **Selective Precipitation of Tantalum Fluoride Complexes** – Forms K₂TaF₇ or similar compounds.
12. **Chelating Agent Extraction** – Enhances Ta selectivity from complex ores.
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### **C. Conversion to Tantalum Compounds**
13. **Calcination of Ta Compounds to Ta₂O₅** – Prepares for reduction to metal.
14. **Conversion to Tantalum Pentachloride (TaCl₅)** – Precursor for metallic tantalum.
15. **Sublimation or Distillation of TaCl₅** – Purifies Ta from remaining Nb or impurities.
16. **Reduction of TaCl₅ with Sodium (Na) or Magnesium (Mg)** – Produces metallic tantalum.
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### **D. Recovery and Secondary Sources**
17. **Recovery from Columbite-Tantalite Processing Residues** – Leaching + precipitation.
18. **Recovery from Scrap Tantalum Alloys** – Recycling metallic Ta.
19. **Recovery from Electronic Waste (Capacitors, Superalloys)** – Hydrometallurgical extraction.
20. **Hydrometallurgical Recovery from Industrial Slags** – Leaching + selective precipitation.
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✅ **Summary:**
* **Main industrial sources:** Columbite-tantalite ores.
* **Primary extraction steps:** Ore concentration → acid/alkaline digestion → separation from niobium → purification → conversion to TaCl₅ → reduction to metallic tantalum.
* **Metallic tantalum:** Produced via Na or Mg reduction of TaCl₅.
* **Byproduct/secondary sources:** Scrap alloys, electronic waste, processing residues, industrial slags.
* **Laboratory/experimental:** Ion exchange, solvent extraction, selective precipitation, fluoride complexation.
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Next in periodic order is \*\*Tungsten (W, atomic number 74). Do you want me to continue with **20 extraction methods for Tungsten**?
