coltan

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Columbite–tantalite or coltan is a mineral which has become of great importance to the world because of its properties have been used in our mobile phones, computers, blades in aircraft engines, land-based gas turbines, mill products for sputtering targets and chemicals for audio and video. This has raised the prize of the black mineral and has created a profitable business where the tantalite is found in countries such as The Democratic Republic of Congo where the precious rock is found in the surface easy for its extraction. This process is often done by artisanal miners under the orders of the guerrilla, then the next step in the supply chain after its extraction is the trading and processing of Coltan. Coltan is usually traded in three forms: as ore concentrate, as tantalum oxides and salt, or as capacitor-grade tantalum. Columbite–tantalite is not traded on an open exchange but in negotiations taking place on a bilateral basis between buyers and sellers around the world. Prices are privately discussed and purchase contracts between buyer and seller are almost secrete. Traders a...

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