Chapter 6
Coltan is a dark mineral composed of a solid solution of two substances, columbite and tantalite, which give rise to the name of the mineral. The proportions in which both substances are given in the mineral in nature is variable and depends on the origin of the ore. The columbite is a niobium, iron and manganese oxide, and the tantalite is also a tantalum, iron and manganese oxide.
The economic interest of coltan is due to its character of rich source of tantalum, so that the percentage of tantalite in the mineral, that oscillates strongly between 10% and 60%, is determinant of its value. Tantalum is used in the manufacture of electrolytic capacitors, present in a large number of electronic devices such as cell phones, computers and other more sophisticated artifacts. As the p
