What is tantalum? Properties and advantages
Tantalum is a rare and high-quality metal that is characterised by its exceptional robustness and elegant appearance. Particularly in the jewellery sector, for Wedding rings or Engagement rings, tantalum is becoming increasingly popular. It impresses with its scratch resistance, skin compatibility and long-lasting beauty, making every piece of jewellery a long-lasting and special companion.
We also love using tantalum in our forge in Berlin to make our individual pieces of jewellery. We have created a comprehensive guide to the metal for you here!
History and occurrence
Tantalum owes its name to the figure Tantalus from Greek mythology. The special property of tantalum(V) oxide that it could hardly be attacked by acids gave it its name - similar to Tantalus, who was surrounded by water but could not drink it. This exceptional resistance to chemical influences still characterises the use of tantalum today.
Tantalum does not occur in its pure form in nature, but is bound in ores, usually together with niobium. The best-known ores are columbite-tantalite, also known as „coltan“, which is found in deposits around the world, including in Africa, Australia and Brazil. Due to its limited deposits, tantalum is one of the rarest metals in the earth's crust.
Properties of tantalum
Tantalum bears the chemical symbol Ta and has the atomic number 73 in the periodic table. It is a heavy metal that belongs to the group of transition metals and therefore has special properties.
Physical properties:
- Physical state: solid at room temperature
- Density: approx. 16.65 g/cm³, which gives the material a valuable weight
- Melting point: around 3,000 °C, it only starts to melt at this temperature
- Boiling point: approx. 5,500 °C
- Crystal structure: body-centred cubic, ensures stability and mouldability
- Tensile strength: around 240 MPa, pure tantalum can be stretched considerably
Chemical properties:
- Oxidation levels: mainly +5, stable oxide layer protects against corrosion (tantalum(V) oxide)
- Reaction with acids: only limited solubility, even aqua regia hardly attacks the metal
- Skin compatibility: very suitable for direct skin contact
This extraordinary combination of physical and chemical properties makes tantalum interesting for many industries. But especially for the jewellery industry. Its durability, malleability and elegant appearance make it ideal for long-lasting rings and jewellery. This is why we also offer tantalum as a precious metal for the rings that are produced in our RINGSCHMIEDE BERLIN be manufactured.
Tantalum compared to other metals
The biggest difference to classic jewellery metals is its exceptional chemical stability and corrosion resistance. Due to its passivation, tantalum is resistant to most acids - even aqua regia is unable to dissolve the metal. It is only attacked by hydrofluoric acid, acidic fluoride solutions and oleum, a mixture of sulphuric acid and sulphur trioxide.
Despite this impressive resistance, tantalum is technically a base metal and reacts with many non-metals at high temperatures.
Compared to other jewellery metals, tantalum is also exceptionally hard. It is often referred to as „precious metal-like“ because, despite its chemical properties, it conveys the same exclusivity and value as white gold or platinum.
Tantalum in jewellery
Tantalum has properties that make it unique in the jewellery sector and also explain why it cannot be processed using traditional goldsmithing techniques. The metal is significantly harder and more scratch-resistant than gold, platinum or silver, meaning that traditional methods such as forging, soldering or rolling are only possible to a limited extent. Instead, tantalum is usually moulded using special production techniques that do justice to its high material hardness and durability.
With its density of around 16.65 g/cm³, tantalum is close in weight to 750 yellow gold, but appears more solid and exceptionally present on the finger. Pure tantalum is ductile, making it easy to mould and stretch. However, even small additions such as carbon or hydrogen significantly change its mechanical strength.
Material properties that make tantalum so special in jewellery
Tantalum is ideal for jewellery that is worn every day: It does not tarnish, hardly reacts with sweat or creams and remains permanently colour-stable. Its robust, scratch-resistant surface retains its structure and elegance for years. Tantalum stands out visually with its dark, slightly purple-grey colour, which creates a strong contrast to light-coloured gemstones - especially diamonds.
You can even experience these special features for yourself in our goldsmith's shop: In our Ring forging course we are the only company in Germany to offer tantalum as a material for your rings.
Value and rarity of tantalum
Tantalum is one of the rare metals in the earth's crust and is significantly rarer than gold. Its occurrence is limited, especially in the form of coltan ores, which makes it an exclusive material on the market. This rarity makes tantalum particularly interesting for high-quality jewellery, as each piece is not only robust but also exceptionally exclusive.
Its value is measured less by the current price of gold and more by the combination of its rarity, physical properties and processing difficulty. Tantalum is chemically very stable, corrosion-resistant and forms a protective tantalum (V) oxide layer on the surface, which makes the metal almost impervious to environmental influences. As a result, jewellery made from tantalum remains attractive and retains its value for a long time.
How much does tantalum cost?
Despite its rarity, the price of tantalum is generally lower than that of gold and platinum, but is significantly higher than the price of common industrial metals. It is not only the price of the raw material that plays a role in jewellery production, but also the complex processing: as tantalum is extremely hard and cannot be forged or cast like traditional precious metals, its processing requires specialised machines and precise production techniques.
For our finished pieces of jewellery this means Tantalum rings, Tantalum jewellery created in our forge is usually around half the price of platinum, but varies depending on the size, material thickness, surface finish and any diamond settings. This means that tantalum remains an attractive option for anyone looking for an exclusive, durable and high-quality metal without having to reach the price range of pure platinum. With our Ring cost calculator you can easily calculate the price range of your customised ring yourself.
FAQ: Tantalum - properties and advantages
Do you have any further questions about the properties of tantalum? We have answered the most frequently asked questions for you in our short FAQ.
What is tantalum?
Tantalum is a chemical element from the fifth subgroup of the periodic table. It has the symbol Ta and atomic number 73 and belongs to the transition metals. Due to its special properties, it is increasingly being used for high-quality jewellery.
What is the melting point of tantalum?
Tantalum has a very high melting point. It only becomes liquid from a temperature of 3000 degrees Celsius. If, for example, small amounts of carbon or hydrogen are added, the melting point increases significantly.
Does tantalum have the highest melting point of all the elements?
No. Although tantalum is one of the most heat-resistant metals, elements such as tungsten, carbon and rhenium are even more resistant. Nevertheless, tantalum is one of the most temperature-stable materials used in jewellery.
Where can you find tantalum as a metal?
Tantalum does not occur in its pure form in nature, but is embedded in ores such as coltan together with niobium. These deposits are mainly found in Africa, Australia and parts of South America. Due to its low mass fraction in the earth's crust, tantalum is considered a rare element.
Are tantalum and niobium the same thing?
No, but the two elements are closely related. Tantalum and niobium have very similar chemical and physical properties, which means that they often occur together in nature. Industrially and in jewellery, however, they are clearly differentiated. Tantalum is darker, heavier and more resistant to corrosion.
What else is tantalum used for?
Tantalum is a versatile material: in microelectronics, it is used for capacitors with high capacitance, as it is extremely reliable and temperature-stable. Due to its good compatibility, elemental tantalum is used for medical purposes, for example for implants or surgical instruments. In industry, it is used as a material for heat-resistant components and special alloys.
What does tantalum look like?
Tantalum has a dark, slightly purple-grey colour that can appear matt or finely polished. This modern, subtle look stands out clearly from classic yellow gold or silver and creates an elegant contrast - especially in combination with diamonds.
What is the density of tantalum?
Tantalum has a density of around 16.65 g/cm³ at room temperature.
Rings created in our workshop
