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2026 Vol.35, Issue 1

Article Review

Smelting and Recycling of Tantalum

탄탈럼의 제련과 리사이클링

Ho-Sang Sohn1*
손 호상1*
1Department of Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea
1경북대학교 금속재료공학과
*Corresponding Author
28 February 2026. pp. 3-16
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Abstract

Global annual production of tantalum is only about 2,000 tons, yet it is an essential metal for modern industries and is considered a rare metal because it is mined in only a few regions. Tantalum powder and wire for capacitors account for roughly 30% of global demand, and tantalum is also used in superalloys, chemical processing equipment, semiconductors, and other high-performance applications. Because tantalum commonly occurs together with columbite and tantalite, the ores must be processed to separate Ta2O5 and Nb2O5. The metal tantalum is produced by metallothermic reduction and molten-salt electrolysis of halides, as well as thermal reduction of oxides. Crude tantalum is refined into high-purity metal using high-temperature vacuum heat treatment or electron-beam melting. Bulk scrap, such as spent tantalum sputtering targets, is recovered through electron-beam melting and related processes. However, tantalum used as an alloying element is generally not separated and recovered on its own; instead, the alloy is remelted as is. Since a large portion of tantalum is used in capacitors, recycling has become an area of significant interest. In practice, the capacitors are first thermally decomposed, after which the tantalum is recovered by metallurgical processes.

Keywords
Tantalum
smelting
recycling
capacitor
super alloy

전 세계 탄탈럼의 연간 생산량은 약 2,000 톤에 불과하지만, 현대 산업에 필수적인 금속으로 제한된 지역에서만 채굴되는 희소금속이다. Ta은 커패시터용의 금속 Ta 분말 및 선재가 전 세계 수요의 약 30 %를 차지하며, 초합금, 화학장치, 반도체 등에도 사용된다. Ta은 탄탈라이트와 컬럼바이트에 공존하므로 Ta2O5와 Nb2O5로 분리하기 위해 광석을 분해하여야 한다. 금속 Ta은 할로겐화물의 금속열환원법과 용융염 전해법, 산화물의 열환원법 등으로 만들고 있다. 조금속 Ta은 고온의 진공 열처리나 전자빔 용융 정제법 등을 사용하여 고순도 Ta으로 만든다. Ta 폐타깃 등의 벌크 스크랩은 전자빔 용융 등으로 회수하지만, 합금원소로 첨가된 Ta은 별도로 회수하지 않으며, 원래의 합금 등으로 재용해한다. 또 Ta은 커패시터에 사용된 것이 많아 이의 리사이클링에 많은 관심이 주어져 있으나, 기본적으로는 커패시터를 열분해한 후 야금학적으로 Ta을 회수하고 있다.

키워드
탄탈럼
제련
리사이클링
커패시터
슈퍼알로이
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Information
  • Publisher :The Korean Institute of Resources Recycling
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국자원리싸이클링학회
  • Journal Title :Resources Recycling
  • Journal Title(Ko) :자원리싸이클링
  • Volume : 35
  • No :1
  • Pages :3-16
  • Received Date : 2025-12-09
  • Revised Date : 2026-01-24
  • Accepted Date : 2026-01-30
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.7844/kirr.2026.35.1.3
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