Global InformationTantalcarbide information
| Tantalcarbide | |
|---|---|
 Unpolished microprobe preparate with a 0.20 x 0.15 x 0.10 mm grain of bronze-pinkish tantalcarbide from the type and only known locality worldwide (Avrorinskii Placer, Aktai River, Baranchinsky Massif, Nizhnii Tagil, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russian Federation), completely analyzed. | |
| General | |
| Category | Carbide minerals |
| Formula (repeating unit) | TaC |
| IMA symbol | Tcb[1] |
| Strunz classification | 1.AB.20 |
| Crystal system | Isometric |
| Crystal class | Hexoctahedral (m3m) H-M symbol: (4/m 3 2/m) |
| Unit cell | a = 4.446 ± 0.0005 Å b = 4.446 Å c = 4.446 Å |
| Identification | |
| Color | Bronze, yellow brown |
| Crystal habit | Granular, tabular |
| Fracture | Subconchoidal |
| Tenacity | Brittle |
| Mohs scale hardness | 6-7 |
| Luster | Sub Metallic |
| Streak | White |
| Diaphaneity | Opaque |
| Specific gravity | 14.5 |
Tantalcarbide is a rare mineral of tantalum carbide with formula TaC. With a molecular weight of 192.96 g/mol, its primary constituents are tantalum (93.78%) and carbon (6.22%), and has an isometric crystal system.[2] It generally exhibits a bronze or brown to yellow color. On the Mohs hardness scale it registers as a 6–7.[3] Tantalcarbide is generally found in a granular state. It is extremely dense at 14.6 g/. Sub-conchoidal fracturing is exhibited.[4]
Specimens are extremely rare in nature. It is the only known mineral to exhibit the composition of TaC.
Tantalum carbide powder is used for many real world applications. Generally however it is not produced from the mineral tantalcarbide due to the rarity. Instead it is prepared by other means.
- ^ Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
- ^ "Tantalcarbide Mineral Data". Web Mineral.
- ^ "Tantalcarbide". Mindat.
- ^ "Tantalcarbide" (PDF). Handbook of Mineralogy.