Tantalum is a chemical element with the symbol Ta and atomic number 73. It is a very hard, ductile, lustrous, blue-gray transition metal that is highly corrosion-resistant. Tantalum is found in nature primarily in the minerals columbite-tantalite (also known as tantalum-columbite) and tantalite-(Fe,Mn).
Properties of tantalum:
Melting point: 3,020 °C (5,453 °F)
Boiling point: 5,900 °C (10,412 °F)
Density: 16.69 g/cm³
Electrical conductivity: 2.25 (40 °C) μΩ·cm
Thermal conductivity: 13 W/m·K (20 °C)
Hardness: 190 HV (300 °C)
Corrosion resistance: Excellent resistance to acids and alkalis