TAN-1 Tantalum Ore

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TAN-1 is a sample of tantalum ore typical of the deposit at Bernic Lake, Manitoba. The tantalum occurs in wodgenite and microlite, which are found in zones of partially sericitized perthitic microcline and of relatively unaltered, fine-grained, bluish-white aplitic albite in the pegmatite deposit. The deposit has been characterized mineralogically in detail at CANMET.

Recommended Value and 95% Confidence Interval
Constituent wt %
Ta 0.236 ± 0.005
Ta2O5 0.288 ± 0.006

Nineteen laboratories provided results for tantalum by X-ray fluorescence, DCP-emission spectrometry, ICP-atomic emission spectrometry, colorimetry, atomic absorption spectrometry, and gravimetry.

A certificate of analysis will be issued with each order of TAN-1. A copy of CANMET Report 83-10E, "TAN-1: A certified tantalum reference ore", will be forwarded, free of charge, on request to the Coordinator, CCRMP.

Approximate Chemical Composition
Constituent wt %
SiO2 71.5
Al 8.2
Na 4.6
K 1.5
Ca 0.5
Ta 0.236
Fe 0.2
Mg 0.02
Mn 0.02
Nb 0.02
Sn 0.01

CCRMP, CANMET Mining and
Mineral Sciences Laboratories

555 Booth Street, Ottawa
Ontario, Canada  
K1A 0G1

Telephone: (613) 995-4738
Facsimile: (613) 943-057
E-mail