TITLE:
Adaptable Technologies for Life – Cycle Processing of Tantalum Bearing Minerals
AUTHORS:
M. O. H. Amuda, D. E. Esezobor, G. I. Lawal
KEYWORDS:
Adaptable technologies, life-cycle processing, tantalum bearing minerals.
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Minerals and Materials Characterization and Engineering,
Vol.6 No.1,
June
12,
2007
ABSTRACT: Nigeria is richly endowed in convertible natural resources of which solid minerals are a
member of the endowments. However, the country is basically a mono-product economy
based on its vast oil deposit accounting for over 84% of foreign earnings and 25% of GDP.
The triple challenges of the volatile nature of global oil politics, achieving the objectives of
the millennium development goals and the national economy empowerment and development
strategies calls for diversification into hitherto neglected solid mineral deposits to open a
window of opportunities. One of the widely reported mineral deposits in the country with
strong international influence is tantalum-bearing mineral. The mineral had in the past few
decades experienced a strong growth in demand averaging 10% per annum since 1992 with
total world consumption estimated at over 38 thousand tonne in 2005. The total annual
supply of the ore concentrate in 2001 was 720 tonnes when demand was 26 thousand tonnes.
Thus, pushing the price of the concentrate to an all time high of $165 / kg in 2001.
This paper outlines the characteristics of the Nigerian tantalum reserves. It also presents the
evaluation of the competing technologies for complete cycle processing of tantalum bearing
minerals for adoption in the Nigeria solid mineral industry.