The Only Coltan Mine In Europe Is Located In Spain
Coltan is an essential raw material for the microelectronics, telecommunications, aerospace and biomedical industries. Although it may appear to be just one mineral , coltan is the combination of two, columbite and tantalite. In fact, the term itself “coltan” comes from the fusion of the two words. Basically, it is a mineral which is concentrated in the Republic of Congo, where 80 % of the reserves are found. In Europe there is only one mine where this material is extracted: A Penouta, an old tin mine located in Orense (Spain).