tantalum
noun
tan·ta·lum ˈtan-tə-ləm 
: a gray-white ductile acid-resisting metallic element found combined in rare minerals (such as tantalite and columbite) and used especially in electronic components see Chemical Elements Table
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web There is also active mining in the region for diamonds and coltan, a metallic ore that yields the rare-earth element tantalum used in cellphones. 
Kejal Vyas |, WSJ, 20 Nov. 2018 Congo produces some two-thirds of the world’s cobalt, a mineral key in the production of lithium-ion batteries that power laptops and electric cars, as well as coltan, copper, tantalum and tin, all used in modern electronics. Gabriele Steinhauser, WSJ, 30 Dec. 2018 Congo produces some two-thirds of the world’s cobalt, a mineral used in the production of lithium-ion batteries that power laptops and electric cars, and coltan, copper, tantalum and tin, all used in modern electronics. Nicholas Bariyo, WSJ, 2 Jan. 2019 The province is also close to the Ugandan and Rwandan borders, a major regional trade center for a range of commodities including mineral exports such as tin, tantalum and gold out of eastern Congo. Nicholas Bariyo, WSJ, 14 Aug. 2018 Yes, things like that, or conflict minerals disclosure [which required companies to tell investors whether their products contained tantalum, tin, gold, or tungsten mined from the Democratic Republic of Congo]. Emily Stewart, Vox, 14 June 2018 Of these metals, tantalum exhibits a particularly appealing dark and stealthy lustre and was something of a signature material for the brand. Wei Koh, A-LIST, 3 Apr. 2018 The new code raises taxes on other metals such as copper, tantalum and gold and scraps a provision that protects license holders from complying with any changes to the mining code for 10 years. Nicholas Bariyo, WSJ, 8 Mar. 2018 The new model suggests our home planet contains significantly more sodium, potassium, chlorine, zinc, strontium, fluorine, gallium, rubidium, niobium, gadolinium, tantalum, helium, argon, and krypton than previously believed. Jay Bennett, Popular Mechanics, 18 Sep. 2017 See More
Kejal Vyas |, WSJ, 20 Nov. 2018 Congo produces some two-thirds of the world’s cobalt, a mineral key in the production of lithium-ion batteries that power laptops and electric cars, as well as coltan, copper, tantalum and tin, all used in modern electronics. Gabriele Steinhauser, WSJ, 30 Dec. 2018 Congo produces some two-thirds of the world’s cobalt, a mineral used in the production of lithium-ion batteries that power laptops and electric cars, and coltan, copper, tantalum and tin, all used in modern electronics. Nicholas Bariyo, WSJ, 2 Jan. 2019 The province is also close to the Ugandan and Rwandan borders, a major regional trade center for a range of commodities including mineral exports such as tin, tantalum and gold out of eastern Congo. Nicholas Bariyo, WSJ, 14 Aug. 2018 Yes, things like that, or conflict minerals disclosure [which required companies to tell investors whether their products contained tantalum, tin, gold, or tungsten mined from the Democratic Republic of Congo]. Emily Stewart, Vox, 14 June 2018 Of these metals, tantalum exhibits a particularly appealing dark and stealthy lustre and was something of a signature material for the brand. Wei Koh, A-LIST, 3 Apr. 2018 The new code raises taxes on other metals such as copper, tantalum and gold and scraps a provision that protects license holders from complying with any changes to the mining code for 10 years. Nicholas Bariyo, WSJ, 8 Mar. 2018 The new model suggests our home planet contains significantly more sodium, potassium, chlorine, zinc, strontium, fluorine, gallium, rubidium, niobium, gadolinium, tantalum, helium, argon, and krypton than previously believed. Jay Bennett, Popular Mechanics, 18 Sep. 2017 See More Word History
Etymology
New Latin, from Latin Tantalus; from its inability to absorb acid
First Known Use
1809, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
tantalum
noun
tan·ta·lum ˈtant-ᵊl-əm
: a hard ductile gray-white acid-resisting metallic element of the vanadium family found combined in rare minerals and sometimes used in surgical implants and sutures —symbol Ta see Chemical Elements Table