The World's Tantalite Production

Over half the world's tantalite production comes from Australia,with Brazil,Eastern Canada China,Ethiopia and Central adn Southern Africa making up the rest. Other significant sources include tin slags from Malaysia and Thailand,as well as recycling of tantalum.

Sons of Gwalia Ltd in Western Australia has been in administration since 2004 and the purchase of the company by Resource Capital Fund IV LP was approved in June 2007. The tantalum resources became part of the newly-formed company Talison Mineral's Pty Ltd in August 2007 and continue to be the world's main source of tantalum.

For Ethiopia,tantalum has become the second most important mineral export earner for the country,and the operator is Ethiopian Mineral Development Sh Co (EMDSC).

The US Defence LOgistics Agency(DLA) Offerd further tantalum materials for sale from the Defense National Stockpile from November 2006,and announced that it had depleted the inventory of tantalum minerals with the sales from that month. The only remaining DLA tantalum stock is understood to be 4000 lb of tantalum carbide.