coltan

noun

col·tan | \ˈkōl-ˌtan

\

Definition of coltan

: a dull black ore that consists of a mixture of columbite and tantalite and is a minor source of tantalum

Examples of coltan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Western lowland gorilla's native habitat in Africa is shrinking due in part to mining of a metallic ore called coltan, a key ingredient in manufacturing batteries, including the kind found in our phones. — Jennifer Larino, NOLA.com, "Meet Audubon Zoo's new Western lowland gorilla troop," 1 Mar. 2018 Race organizers ask for these donations because recycling cell phones reduces the need for additional coltan, a mineral extracted from the forests of Congo, home to endangered lowland gorillas. — Chris Barlow, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "With a new year upon us, try these 7 interesting and new workout options in Milwaukee area," 3 Jan. 2018 Wakanda’s entire Vibranium economy is based on Congo’s exclusive rights to the rare mineral coltan (which is in basically EVERY cellphone). — Jason Johnson, The Root, "Hey, Dude: Black Panther Wasn’t Filmed in Africa, Just Like Star Wars Wasn’t Filmed in Space," 22 Jan. 2018 The eastern region has rich deposits of minerals including tin, gold and coltan. — Bloomberg.com, "Kabila Crisis Fuels Conflict in Eastern Congo as UN Targeted," 20 Dec. 2017 These recoverable materials include gold, silver, copper, coltan, platinum, palladium, and other high-value metals. — National Geographic, "Each U.S. Family Trashes 400 iPhones’ Worth of E-Waste a Year," 13 Dec. 2017 For two decades the country has struggled to defeat dozens of local and foreign militias in the east, which has deposits of tin, gold and coltan. — William Clowes, Bloomberg.com, "UN Sends Troops to East Congo City as Army Fights Rebels," 28 Sep. 2017 Most people don’t realize, but coltan is one of the most vital minerals on planet Earth. — Jason Johnson, The Root, "Best Part of Congressional Black Caucus Week? Exclusive Footage of Marvel’s Black Panther," 25 Sep. 2017 In central Africa, miners go into rain forests to dig for an ore called coltan that ends up in phone circuits. — Carl Zimmer, New York Times, "Most Primate Species Threatened With Extinction, Scientists Find," 18 Jan. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'coltan.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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The first known use of coltan was in 1999

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