I-Tantalum iyikhemikhali enophawu u-Ta kanye nenombolo ye-athomu engu-73. Yakhiwa ama-athomu e-tantalum anama-proton angu-73 kuyi-nucleus. I-Tantalum iyinsimbi eyivelakancane, eqinile, eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka, ecwebezelayo ekwazi ukumelana nokugqwala. Ivamise ukuxutshwa nezinye izinsimbi ukuze kuthuthukiswe izakhiwo zayo zemishini futhi isetshenziswa ezinhlotsheni zezicelo, okuhlanganisa i-electronics, i-aerospace kanye nemishini yezokwelapha.

I-Tantalum inezakhiwo zamakhemikhali eziningana eziphawulekayo:

1. Ukumelana nokugqwala: I-Tantalum imelana kakhulu nokugqwala, okuyenza ifanelekele ukusetshenziswa ezindaweni ezigqwala ezifana nokucutshungulwa kwamakhemikhali nokufakwa kwezokwelapha.

2. Indawo ephezulu yokuncibilika: I-Tantalum inezinga eliphezulu lokuncibilika, elingaphezu kuka-3000 degrees Celsius, okuyenza isebenziseke ekusetshenzisweni kwezinga lokushisa eliphezulu.

3. Ukungafinyeleli: I-Tantalum ayisebenzi kangako, okusho ukuthi ayisebenzi kalula nezinye izakhi noma izinhlanganisela ngaphansi kwezimo ezijwayelekile.

4. Ukumelana ne-oxidation: I-Tantalum yakha ungqimba lwe-oxide oluvikelayo lapho ivezwe emoyeni, iqhubeke nokunikeza ukumelana nokugqwala.

Lezi zakhiwo zenza i-tantalum ibe yigugu ezinhlobonhlobo zezinhlelo zokusebenza zezimboni nezobuchwepheshe.

I-Tantalum yakhiwa ngezinqubo ezihlukahlukene ze-geological. Ivame ukutholakala kanye namanye amaminerali, njenge-columbite-tantalite (coltan), futhi ivame ukukhishwa njengomkhiqizo wezimayini kwezinye izinsimbi, njenge-tin. I-Tantalum itholakala kuma-pegmatites, okungamatshe angama-coarse-grained igneous ngokuvamile aqukethe ukugxila okuphezulu kwezinto ezingavamile.

Ukwakheka kwediphozithi ye-tantalum kubandakanya ukucwebezela nokupholiswa kodaka kanye nokugxilwa kwamaminerali aqukethe i-tantalum ngezinqubo ze-geological ezifana nokusebenza kwe-hydrothermal kanye nesimo sezulu. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, lezi zinqubo zakha ama-ore anothe nge-tantalum angasembiwa futhi acutshungulwe ukuze kukhishwe i-tantalum yezinhlobonhlobo zezimboni nezobuchwepheshe.

I-Tantalum ayiyona kazibuthe ngokwemvelo. Ibhekwa njengengeyona i-magnetic futhi inokufinyeleleka okuphansi kazibuthe. Lesi sakhiwo senza i-tantalum ibe usizo ezinhlelweni zokusebenza lapho kudingeka khona ukuziphatha okungewona uzibuthe, njengasezintweni ze-elekthronikhi namadivayisi wezokwelapha.