Editing Coltan (section)

{{Short description|Tantalum-niobium ore}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
[[File:Ferrocolumbite-Manganotantalite-rh3-36a.jpg|thumb|upright|right|A piece of columbite–tantalite, size 6.0 × 2.5 × 2.1 cm]]
'''Coltan''' (short for '''columbite–tantalites''' and known industrially as tantalite) is a dull black metallic [[ore]] from which the elements [[niobium]] and [[tantalum]] are extracted. The niobium-dominant mineral in coltan is [[columbite]] (after niobium's original American name ''columbium''), and the tantalum-dominant mineral is [[tantalite]].<ref>{{Citation
  | last = Tantalum-Niobium International Study Centre
  | title = Coltan
  | url = http://www.tanb.org/coltan
  | access-date = 2008-01-27
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160114090751/http://tanb.org/coltan
  | archive-date = 2016-01-14
  | url-status = dead
  }}</ref>

Tantalum from coltan is used to manufacture [[tantalum capacitor]]s which are used for mobile phones, personal computers, automotive electronics, and cameras.<ref name="USGSCR08">{{cite web|url = http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/niobium/mcs-2008-tanta.pdf|title = Commodity Report 2008: Tantalum|publisher = United States Geological Survey|access-date = 2008-10-24}}</ref> [[Mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo#Mining resumes (2001–present)|Coltan mining]]<ref>{{Citation
  | title = Congo: war-torn heart of Africa
  | date = December 1, 2008
  | url = http://www.theweek.co.uk/25113/congo-war-torn-heart-africa
  | access-date = 2012-10-18
  | archive-date = 25 August 2013
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130825020737/http://www.theweek.co.uk/25113/congo-war-torn-heart-africa
  | url-status = dead
  }}</ref><ref>{{Citation
  | title = Breaking the Silence- Congo Week
  | date = December 15, 2009
  | url = http://www.congoweek.org/english/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=120&Itemid=207
  | access-date = 2011-10-11
  | archive-date = 2011-07-25
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110725192111/http://www.congoweek.org/english/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=120&Itemid=207
  | url-status = dead
  }}</ref> is widespread in the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-vice-guide-to-congo-1/ |title=The VICE Guide to Congo |magazine=Vice.com |access-date=2013-04-29 |archive-date=2013-05-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130517115358/http://www.vice.com/vice-news/the-vice-guide-to-congo-1 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name='phoneblood'>{{Citation
 | last = Söderberg
 | first = Mattias
 | title = Is there blood on your mobile phone?
 | date = 2006-09-22
 | url = http://www.danchurchaid.org/news/news/is-there-blood-on-your-mobile-phone
 | access-date = 2009-05-16
 | archive-date = 13 January 2012
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120113041932/http://www.danchurchaid.org/news/news/is-there-blood-on-your-mobile-phone
 | url-status = dead
 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rescue.org/news/irc-study-shows-congos-neglected-crisis-leaves-54-million-dead-peace-deal-n-kivu-increased-aid--4331
| title=IRC Study Shows Congo's Neglected Crisis Leaves 5.4 Million Dead; Peace Deal in N. Kivu, Increased Aid Critical to Reducing Death Toll
| date=22 January 2008
| access-date=17 April 2011
}}
</ref>