Prices
No single exchange-settled price exists for tantalum. Trade settles over-the-counter against benchmarks published by independent price-reporting agencies. We do not republish those numbers — consult the publishers directly:
Asian Metal ↗
Daily benchmark quotations for tantalum from Asian producers (subscription).
Fastmarkets ↗
Industry benchmark prices, market reports, and price discovery for tantalum.
Shanghai Metals Market ↗
Real-time and historical Chinese spot prices for tantalum.
USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 ↗
Annual U.S. Geological Survey reference — production, reserves, prices, and trade statistics for tantalum.
About Tantalum
Editorial overviewWhat is tantalum?
Tantalum (Ta, atomic number 73) is a dense, corrosion-resistant transition metal used mainly in high-performance electronics and advanced alloys. It is usually described in industry references as a critical metal rather than a precious metal, and the USGS notes that U.S. producers make tantalum alloys, capacitors, carbides, compounds, and metal from imported ores and scrap USGS MCS 2026.
How tantalum is priced
Tantalum has no regulated futures contract. Reference prices come from the Tantalum-Niobium International Study Center (T.I.C.) tantalum concentrate (Ta₂O₅ basis) and the Fastmarkets tantalite/coltan in-warehouse Rotterdam assessments. Argus also publishes a weekly tantalum concentrate price.
Where tantalum comes from
Tantalum mine production is concentrated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Nigeria, Brazil, China, and Australia, with 2025e output of 1,300 tons in Congo (Kinshasa), 400 tons in Rwanda, 390 tons in Nigeria, 190 tons in Brazil, 80 tons in China, and 50 tons in Australia USGS MCS 2026. Those same countries accounted for nearly all of the world’s rounded 2025e mine production of 2,500 tons USGS MCS 2026. Full breakdown in the production and reserves sections.
Who produces tantalum
The USGS says U.S. companies produced tantalum alloys, capacitors, carbides, compounds, and tantalum metal from imported ores and tantalum-bearing materials, and that tantalum metal and alloys were also recovered from foreign and domestic scrap USGS MCS 2026. On the company side, AMG Critical Materials says it is focused on the production and development of energy storage materials such as tantalum, while Global Advanced Metals is a major tantalum producer with operations in Australia and the United States AMG Critical Materials, Global Advanced Metals. Full list of producers below.
What tantalum is used for
The USGS does not give a quantified end-use split for tantalum, but it identifies the main product chain as alloys, capacitors, carbides, compounds, and tantalum metal, with metal and alloys recovered from scrap USGS MCS 2026. The Tantalum-Niobium International Study Center describes tantalum as spanning applications from aerospace to medical devices, consistent with its high-performance electronics and advanced-alloy uses T.I.C..
Key facts about tantalum supply
- USGS MCS 2026: U.S. net import reliance for tantalum was 100% in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025e USGS MCS 2026.
- USGS MCS 2026: world mine production was 2,500 tons in 2025e, with Congo (Kinshasa) at 1,300 tons, Rwanda at 400 tons, and Nigeria at 390 tons USGS MCS 2026.
- USGS MCS 2026: identified reserves were 240,000 tons in China, 40,000 tons in Brazil, 20,000 tons in Australia, and 150 tons in Russia USGS MCS 2026.
- USGS MCS 2026: the United States has about 55,000 tons of tantalum resources in identified deposits, but most are subeconomic at 2025 prices USGS MCS 2026.
- USGS MCS 2026: tantalum recycling was not quantified, but recycled material may account for as much as 30% of consumption by domestic primary processors, mainly from new scrap and cemented-carbide/superalloy scrap USGS MCS 2026.
Sources: USGS MCS 2026 Tantalum, Tantalum-Niobium International Study Center, AMG Critical Materials, Global Advanced Metals
Mine Production by Country
Source: USGS MCS 2026| Country | 2024 | 2025e | Reserves |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | — | — | — |
| Australia | 52 | 50 | 120,000 |
| Bolivia | 2 | 2 | NA |
| Brazil | 210 | 190 | 40,000 |
| Burundi | 2 | 2 | NA |
| China | 76 | 80 | 240,000 |
| Congo (Kinshasa) | 1,270 | 1,300 | NA |
| Ethiopia | 40 | 40 | NA |
| Mozambique | 55 | 1 | NA |
| Nigeria | 390 | 390 | NA |
| Russia | 29 | 30 | 150 |
| Rwanda | 374 | 400 | NA |
| World total (rounded) | 2,500 | 2,500 | NA |
Unit: metric tons. "e" = estimated, "W" = withheld, "NA" = not available. Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Reserves by Country (Top 10)
Source: USGS MCS 2026| Country | Reserves (metric tons) |
|---|---|
| China | 240,000 |
| Australia | 120,000 |
| Brazil | 40,000 |
| Russia | 150 |
| Bolivia | NA |
| Burundi | NA |
| Congo (Kinshasa) | NA |
| Ethiopia | NA |
| Mozambique | NA |
| Nigeria | NA |
| World Total | NA |
Major Producers (0)
No producer data available for this metal.
Latest News
All metals news →Frequently Asked Questions
Auto-generated from primary-source dataWhich countries produce the most tantalum?
The largest tantalum producing countries are Congo (Kinshasa) (1,270 metric tons), Nigeria (390 metric tons), Rwanda (374 metric tons). Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026.
Which countries hold the largest tantalum reserves?
The countries with the largest reported tantalum reserves are China (240,000 metric tons), Australia (120,000 metric tons), Brazil (40,000 metric tons). Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026.
What is the primary source for tantalum production and reserves data?
Country-level tantalum production and reserves figures on TSM Hub are sourced directly from the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, the U.S. Geological Survey's authoritative annual reference. Company-level production figures come from each producer's official annual report, production report, or regulated exchange filing.