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RARE DISCOVERY IN SUTLEJ SANDS

Why in the News ?

Researchers from IIT Ropar, led by Dr. Resmi Sebastian, unearth tantalum, a rare metal, in the Sutlej river sand in Punjab.

Source: Rootshunt

Significance of Tantalum

• Tantalum, with atomic number 73, is a grey, heavy, and highly corrosion-resistant metal.
• Possesses ductility, making it stretchable without breaking, and remains chemically immune at temperatures below 150°C.
• Known for its extremely high melting point, surpassed only by tungsten and rhenium.

Historical Context

• Discovered in 1802 by Swedish chemist Anders Gustaf Ekenberg in minerals from Ytterby, Sweden.
• Initially confused with niobium, later distinguished as two distinct elements by Swiss chemist Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac in 1866.

Name Origin

• Named after the Greek mythological figure Tantalus due to tantalum’s insolubility in acids, mirroring Tantalus’s inability to partake in food and water.

Versatile Applications

• Widely used in electronics and semiconductors.
• Capacitors made from tantalum are ideal for compact storage of electricity in devices like smartphones and laptops.
• Substitute for platinum in various applications, including components for chemical plants, nuclear power plants, airplanes, and missiles.
• Non-reactive with bodily fluids, making it suitable for surgical equipment and implants, such as artificial joints.

Industrial Utility

• Tantalum carbide (TaC) in composite form is one of the hardest materials, utilized on the cutting edges of high-speed machine tools.

The discovery of tantalum in the Sutlej sands holds significance for its unique properties and diverse applications, particularly in advancing electronic technology and industrial sectors.