Tantalum in Sutlej

• rare metal
• himalayan tectonic plates
• ⁷³Ta
• hard
• blue-grey
• lustrous
• solid at room temp
• Union Ministry of Mines ➡️ one of the 12 critical & strategic minerals
• highly reactive
• extremely high MP
  • only exceeded by :
    • rhenium & tungsten
• ⬆️ corrosion resistance by oxide layer formⁿ
• ductile

Uses

• electronics
• superalloys
• medical implants
• nuclear reactors