General News of Wednesday, 25 September 2024Source: www.ghanaweb.comGhanaian researchers discover rare mineral, tantalum deposits in southern Ghana« PrevNext »Comments (3)Listen to ArticleShare: WhatsApp Facebook Twitter One of the main uses of tantalum is in the production of electronic components One of the main uses of tantalum is in the production of electronic components Comments: This article has 3 comment(s), give your comment Sportsleading sports icon Baba Yaea in July hosted a five-day ‘Kumuyi’ Church eventSports Minister slams NSA for renting Baba Yara Stadium to Church before Angola match Businessleading business icon File photoDo not introduce new machines for excise tax stamp system – FABAG to GRA Entertainmentleading entertainment icon Moesha Buduong‘I talk now’ but ‘half of my body is paralysed’ – Moesha Buduong Africaleading africa news icon Critics accuse President Hakainde Hichilema of meddling in the judiciary ahead of the 2026 electionsZambian president suspends judges who ruled in favour of rival Opinionsleading opinion icon Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and former president John Dramani MahamaGhana’s Election 2024: Can NPP hold power or will NDC reclaim victory?

A team of Ghanaian researchers has discovered a new mineral, tantalum, at Bewadze-Mankoadze in the Kibi-Winneba Belt of southern Ghana. This mineral is found in significant quantities within an igneous rock known as pegmatite.

According to a report by Asaaseradio.com, the discovery is detailed in a paper authored by Dr. Emmanuel Daanoba Sunkari, a lecturer at the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) in Tarkwa, Joshua Nkansah, a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Johannesburg in South Africa (also of UMaT), and Salaam Jansbaka Adams of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development in Somanya. The paper is titled “Geochemical Exploration for Tantalum in Coltan-Rich Pegmatites at Bewadze-Mankoadze Area of the Kibi-Winneba Belt, Southern Ghana: Constraints from Exploratory Data Analysis.”

Their study involved petrographic analysis of rock samples from pegmatite outcrops and statistical analysis of major and minor elements to identify pathfinder elements of the tantalum deposit. Ten samples were collected from each town for whole-rock geochemistry, and thin sections were prepared for petrographic analysis.

The researchers found geochemical anomalies in the southwestern portion of the study area, suggesting that exploration for tantalum mineralization should focus there. Pegmatites are abundant in southern Ghana, particularly around Ewoyaa, Biriwa, Winneba, Bewadze, and Mankoadze.

The study contributes to the global transition to clean energy, as tantalum is crucial for producing capacitors used in renewable energy systems, such as solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles. The researchers noted that harnessing this tantalum deposit could boost Ghana’s foreign exchange earnings and support clean energy production.

Additionally, the tantalum-bearing pegmatites in the Bewadze-Mankoadze area contain other valuable minerals, including spodumene, beryl, and tourmaline.

Tantalum, with the symbol Ta and atomic number 73, is a shiny, silvery metal known for its corrosion resistance and ability to withstand chemical attacks below 150˚C. It is used in electronic components, high-temperature devices like aircraft engines, and has numerous medical and dental applications.