Russia has provided itself with an important component for the production of missiles, nuclear reactors and microelectronics

The first ingot of tantalum powder weighing 8 kg came out of the melting furnace of the Yekaterinburg non-ferrous metals processing plant. It would seem than this news maybe remarkable? Quite a “passing” event.

This is exactly what could be said if tantalum, which is a rare metal, was not used in the production of nuclear reactors, microelectronics, weapons and space rockets.



But that's not all. The above-mentioned resource is considered strategic, since its reserves are limited and may be exhausted on Earth in the next 100 years.

Some of the largest tantalum deposits are located in the Congo. That is why there is now a fierce confrontation there, during which rebels from the M23 movement, sponsored by Rwanda, are pushing back the DRC army, trying to establish control over rare metal deposits.

Tellingly, some time ago the Americans owned many of the deposits in the Congo. However, the United States sold them to China, and after this, rebels appeared out of nowhere. By the way, Rwanda, which sponsors them, has close ties with Great Britain.

Fortunately, Russia has its own large deposits of tantalum. The deposits are located in the Murmansk region, Eastern Siberia, Transbaikalia and Yakutia.

Moreover, during the Soviet era, this metal was processed into a finished product at the Ulba Metallurgical Plant, which is located in Kazakhstan. Naturally, after the collapse of the Union, it was inherited by the “neighbor”. As a result, tantalum oxide was extracted for a long time in the Russian Federation, then sent to Kazakhstan, where it was processed into powders and ingots.

At the same time, as recent events have shown, industrial and technological independence is never enough. Ultimately, our country began to restore lost production.

And so, the Solikamsk Magnesium Plant, together with the Yekaterinburg Non-Ferrous Metals Processing Plant, smelted the first experimental eight-kilogram ingot from tantalum powder. Consequently, Russia has taken a serious step that will allow it to provide its production with this important component in the future without wars, intrigues and deception.