Research has shown that a new mineral, tantalum, has been discovered at Bewadze-Mankoadze in the Kibi-Winneba Belt of southern Ghana.
The mineral is found in large quantities of an igneous rock known as pegmatite.
This is contained in a published paper by Dr Emmanuel Daanoba Sunkari, a lecturer at the University of Mines and Technology (UMat) in Tarkwa, together with a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Johannesburg in South Africa, Joshua Nkansah (also of UMat), and Salaam Jansbaka Adams of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development in Somanya.
The paper is titled “Geochemical exploration for tantalum in coltan-rich pegmatites at Bewadze-Mankoadze area of the Kibi-Winneba Belt, southern Ghana: constraints from exploratory data analysis”.
The three researchers’ study covered petrographic studies of rock samples from pegmatite outcrops and statistical analysis of the major and minor elements conducted to identify the pathfinder elements of a new tantalum deposit in the area.
Ten samples were obtained from each town for whole-rock geochemistry and thin sections prepared from some of the samples taken for petrographic analysis.
The researchers said geochemical anomalies involving the elements could be observed in the south-western portion of the study area, according to single and multi-element halo mapping.
They recommended that exploration activities for tantalum mineralisation should focus on the south-western part of the study area, where the anomalies of the pathfinder elements were located.
Energy storage
They said pegmatites were abundant in southern Ghana, especially in the areas around Ewoyaa, Biriwa, Winneba, Bewadze and Mankoadze.
The researchers said the study was a contribution to the global transition to clean energy, since tantalum is a critical mineral that can be used in the production of capacitors.
“Tantalum capacitors play a crucial role in energy-saving technologies, such as renewable energy systems which facilitate effective storage and transportation of energy in solar panels, wind turbines and electric vehicles,” the report says.
The researchers said it helps in decreasing the reliance on fossil fuels and decreasing greenhouse-gas emissions, hence, if the tantalum deposit was harnessed economically, it would boost Ghana’s foreign exchange earnings. The by-products can also be used for clean energy production.
The researchers also said the tantalum-bearing pegmatites in the Bewadze-Mankoadze area contain a wide variety of precious minerals, including spodumene, beryl and tourmaline.
Resists corrosion
Tantalum is a chemical element with the symbol Ta and atomic number 73 in the periodic table. The origin of the word “tantalum” lies in the name of a villain from Greek mythology, Tantalus.
Tantulum appears as a shiny and silvery metal in its soft and pure form. It is corrosion resistant and is bound to chemical attacks below 150˚C.
Among its many uses, tantalum is employed in producing electronic components. It can also be used in manufacturing high-temperature devices such as aircraft engines.
It is used mainly as an alloying medium, as it is helpful for hardening metals and is employed in the manufacture of capacitors. It also has a high number of medical as well as dental applications.