Rynek tantalu na początku XXI wieku
Abstract
Tantalum market at the beginning of the 21st century.
A b s t r a c t. Tantalum, despite the low consumption level, is one of the strategically important metals for the world economy. In terms of the world production volume, it places oneself on a distant position; however, its price was one of the highest at the beginning of the 21st century. Tantalum is a transition metal with a high melting point and high chemical resistance, which determines the spectrum of its applications. It is used mainly in the capacitors production, sputtering and as an additive for superalloys. The 21st century is a period of noticeable changes in the structure of quantitative supplies, consumption centres and price fluctuation. There are numerous but small centres of primary production (artisanal mines) in Africa. Sources of tantalum raw-materials (mineral deposits and its reserves), basic factors determining the economic situation on the market, substitution possibilities and the prices evolution are presented and assessed in the paper. Marginal significance of the economy of tantalum raw materials for Poland is mentioned
A b s t r a c t. Tantalum, despite the low consumption level, is one of the strategically important metals for the world economy. In terms of the world production volume, it places oneself on a distant position; however, its price was one of the highest at the beginning of the 21st century. Tantalum is a transition metal with a high melting point and high chemical resistance, which determines the spectrum of its applications. It is used mainly in the capacitors production, sputtering and as an additive for superalloys. The 21st century is a period of noticeable changes in the structure of quantitative supplies, consumption centres and price fluctuation. There are numerous but small centres of primary production (artisanal mines) in Africa. Sources of tantalum raw-materials (mineral deposits and its reserves), basic factors determining the economic situation on the market, substitution possibilities and the prices evolution are presented and assessed in the paper. Marginal significance of the economy of tantalum raw materials for Poland is mentioned