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The ore is refined using a variety of methods to obtain concentrates of approximately 70% (Ta, Nb)2O5 . This concentrate is then dissolved in a mixture of hydrofluoric and sulfuric acid. The resulting fluoride complex (TaF7) is then converted to an organic phase by means of a liquid extraction process. The organic phase is separated from the aqueous phase. The tantalum is then separated from the organic phase using potassium hydrogen fluoride. This process produces potassium heptafluorotantalate (K2TaF7). The tantalum compound obtained in this way is then reduced with sodium to produce pure metallic tantalum.

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There exist alternative methods which are used when they are better suited to particular local conditions. One used for a titanium-niobium-tantalum-rare earth mineral concentrate involves blending the crushed concentrate with coke and passing this through a chlorination stage which separates out the rare earths and other elements including most of the thorium. The resulting titanium-niobium-tantalum oxichloride gas is dropped in temperature which causes the iron, thorium and alkali metals to precipitate out. The cleaned titanium-niobium-tantalum oxichloride gas is then cooled to a liquid and distilled to separate out low-boiling titanium chloride gas, whereafter the niobium-tantalum oxichloride gas is further chlorinated to produce NbCl5 and TaCl5. These chlorides are fractionally distilled and the niobium chloride subsequently reacted with steam to produce the hydroxide which is calcined to oxide. The tantalum chloride is reacted with ammonium hydroxide to produce the oxide. 041b061a72