| Abstract |
Superior properties of tantalum have made it an element of choice for a wide range of highly specialized appli-cations including electronics, automotive, and aerospace. Indeed, tantalum is a critical metal and its status is con-flict mineral as the supply is limited and is largely controlled by few tantalum producing countries. Despite being the important element, a paucity of knowledge on the flow and economic importance of tantalum exists on a global scale that impedes the proper understanding of the metal. The present research, therefore, aimed to quan-tify the stock and flow of tantalum through its entire life cycle over the year 2010-2019, to find out the economic potential of tantalum that is being discarded. The results indicated that only 21 % of tantalum is entering into the End-of-Life stage, after completing its average residence time, which is the consequence of the relatively long lifespan of key tantalum-bearing products. Nonetheless, the amount of tantalum currently being recycled from the obsolete scrap is <20 %. This is a substantial economic loss, given the criticality of tantalum. Closing the loop of the tantalum life cycle, however, can be a great step towards economic recoveries from waste and pro-moting a circular economy. An increase in collection rate and increased awareness among people regarding tan-talum is necessary to promote recycling to conserve resources as well as to prevent economic loss.(c) 2022 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. |
