{"schema":"https://ver.cy/schemas/card/1.0.0","id":"vr.tr.tantalum","code":"thing-q1123","url":"https://ver.cy/models/thing/q1123/","name":"tantalum","alternateNames":["tantalum-185","tantalum-172","tantalum-155","tantalum-156","tantalum-156m","tantalum-157","tantalum-157m1","tantalum-157m2","tantalum-158","tantalum-158m","tantalum-159","tantalum-159m"],"kind":"thing","status":"published","version":"0.2.0-wave.2","language":"en","classifiers":{"family":"Thing Registry","category":"Physical world and living systems","entryKind":"thing","plane":"PHY","domain":["PHY.MAT"],"industry":[],"navPath":"","tags":[],"facets":{}},"whatItIs":"The chemical element with atomic number seventy-three, a hard, dense, corrosion-resistant refractory metal found with niobium in minerals such as tantalite and coltan, with one stable isotope and many radioactive isotopes, used in capacitors for electronics, in superalloys and surgical implants for its biocompatibility, and in chemical equipment; tantalum supply is concentrated in a few regions and is subject to conflict mineral regulation and supply chain due diligence.","purpose":"Let an agent explain tantalum as an element and its properties, describe uses in electronics, medicine and industry, present supply chain and conflict mineral issues with attribution, and support learning.","scope":{"in":[],"out":[],"boundaries":[]},"distinguishingFeatures":["Refractory","Corrosion resistance","Biocompatibility","Capacitor use"],"structure":{"bundles":[{"id":"understand","name":"Understand","description":"What tantalum is.","layers":[{"id":"element","name":"Element","description":"The element.","findings":[{"id":"element-finding","name":"Element","description":"Element.","questions":[{"text":"What are the physical and chemical properties of tantalum, and how does it relate to niobium?","kind":"definition"},{"text":"Which entry fits refractory metals?","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"isotopes","name":"Isotopes","description":"Isotopes and compounds.","findings":[{"id":"isotopes-finding","name":"Isotopes","description":"Isotopes.","questions":[{"text":"What isotopes and compounds of tantalum exist, and which matter in practice?","kind":"definition"},{"text":"Which entry fits a specific compound?","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"use","name":"Use","description":"Uses.","layers":[{"id":"electronics","name":"Electronics","description":"Electronics.","findings":[{"id":"electronics-finding","name":"Electronics","description":"Electronics.","questions":[{"text":"Why is tantalum used in capacitors, and how does this shape demand?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits capacitors?","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"other","name":"Other","description":"Medicine and industry.","findings":[{"id":"other-finding","name":"Other","description":"Other.","questions":[{"text":"How is tantalum used in implants, superalloys and chemical equipment?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits a specific application?","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"supply","name":"Supply","description":"Supply and ethics.","layers":[{"id":"sources","name":"Sources","description":"Sources and production.","findings":[{"id":"sources-finding","name":"Sources","description":"Sources.","questions":[{"text":"Where is tantalum mined and refined, and how is the supply chain organised?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits mining?","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"conflict","name":"Conflict","description":"Conflict minerals.","findings":[{"id":"conflict-finding","name":"Conflict","description":"Conflict.","questions":[{"text":"How do conflict mineral regulations and due diligence address tantalum sourcing, and what do organisations and companies say, with positions attributed?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Is the presentation neutral?","kind":"boundary"}]}]}]},{"id":"learn","name":"Learn","description":"History and teaching.","layers":[{"id":"history","name":"History","description":"History.","findings":[{"id":"history-finding","name":"History","description":"History.","questions":[{"text":"How was tantalum discovered, and why was it named after Tantalus?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which references are standard?","kind":"provenance"}]}]},{"id":"teach","name":"Teach","description":"Teaching.","findings":[{"id":"teach-finding","name":"Teach","description":"Teaching.","questions":[{"text":"How can tantalum illustrate materials and supply chain topics?","kind":"action"},{"text":"Which misconceptions arise?","kind":"provenance"}]}]}]}]},"agentConduct":{"may":["Explain tantalum's properties, isotopes and uses in electronics, implants and chemical plant.","Report recycling routes and published supply chain information."],"mustNot":["Present tantalum from an unverified source as conflict-free.","Help hide the origin of coltan or tantalum ore to evade due diligence rules.","Recommend handling tantalum powder without the precautions its fire hazard requires.","Describe a tantalum implant as suitable for a specific patient."],"requiresHuman":["Certifying a tantalum supply chain as responsibly sourced."]},"ethics":{"considerations":["Coltan mining has funded armed groups and used child and forced labour.","Implant materials bear on patients' long-term health."],"affectedParties":["Miners and mining communities","Patients with implants","Electronics users"]},"owners":{"steward":"Nobody owns the element; miners, refiners and holders answer for their material.","roles":[],"masterSystems":[]},"relations":[{"target":"Q11426","type":"parent","note":"registry parent class"},{"target":"metal","type":"related","note":"category"},{"target":"chemical element","type":"related","note":"category"},{"target":"carbon","type":"related","note":"another element entry"},{"target":"electrical connector","type":"related","note":"electronics using tantalum components"}],"interaction":{"identity":{"applicability":"required","items":["Vercy registry: vr.tr.tantalum","Wikidata: Q1123 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1123)"]},"properties":{"applicability":"required","items":["Density: Approximately 16.7 g/cm3 - This value describes solid elemental tantalum near room temperature.","Melting temperature: Approximately 3017 deg C - This value describes pure elemental tantalum near atmospheric pressure.","Thermal conductivity: Approximately 57 W/(m K) - This value describes bulk tantalum near room temperature and varies with temperature and purity."]},"recognition":{"applicability":"required","items":["Atomic number seventy-three","Refractory, corrosion-resistant","Niobium is its lighter chemical twin","A grey, dense, hard metal."]},"capabilities":{"applicability":"required","items":["explain the element","describe uses","present supply chain issues","support learning"]},"hazards":{"applicability":"required","items":["Supply chain links to conflict and exploitation","Tantalum powder fire hazard","Confusing tantalum with niobium"]},"interfaces":{"applicability":"required","items":["Conflict minerals regulations and due diligence guidance","Materials standards for implants and alloys","Chemical safety rules"]},"context":{"applicability":"required","items":["Element seventy-three, a refractory metal.","tantalum metal and alloys","tantalum isotopes","tantalum compounds and oxide","tantalum in capacitors","tantalum ores such as tantalite and coltan"]}},"sources":[{"title":"Wikidata item Q1123: tantalum","url":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1123","note":"identity and sense of the item"},{"title":"Wikipedia: Tantalum","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tantalum","note":"general description of the item"}],"openQuestions":["Should coltan be a separate entry?","How should due diligence guidance be linked?","How should materials data be linked?"],"resources":{"spec":"/models/things/publications/thing-q1123/spec.json"},"provenance":{"origin":"thing registry research (pass 2)","builtFrom":["models/things/publications/thing-q1123/spec.json"],"providers":["Claude"],"researchStatus":"unreviewed","generatedAt":"2026-09-12T02:48:22Z","builder":"tools/build_cards.py@1.0.0"},"completeness":{"sections":{"classifiers":"filled","whatItIs":"filled","purpose":"filled","distinguishingFeatures":"filled","structure":"filled","agentConduct":"filled","ethics":"filled","owners":"filled","relations":"filled","interaction.identity":"filled","interaction.properties":"filled","interaction.recognition":"filled","interaction.capabilities":"filled","interaction.hazards":"filled","interaction.interfaces":"filled","interaction.context":"filled","sources":"filled"},"notes":{"_gate":"Published through the thing publication gate 1.0 on 2026-10-07T10:10:25+00:00: completeness 1.00; sense: Wikidata description; 2 live sources; review by codex: pass"},"score":1.0}}