Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 5 hours ago

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What is coltan? 🪨

Coltan is a mineral ore made up primarily of columbite and tantalite, and is mined as an important source of tantalum, a metal used in electronics, aerospace, and many modern technologies!

However, like many naturally occurring minerals, the story doesn’t always end there...

Using the Radiacode 110, a sample of coltan was examined and found evidence of naturally occurring uranium within the material. Minerals are often complex mixtures, and sometimes the spectrum reveals things you weren’t originally looking for! That’s why spectrometry can be very intriguing.

The elements being mined may be valuable, but the radioactive impurities can create challenges of their own.

@simonschemiebaukasten

#radioactive #radiation #didyouknowgram #chemistry