Mapping the material flows and recycling potential of tantalum in China: a rare and vital resource for the modern society

Tantalum is widely used in electronic devices and is crucial for modern society; however, research on the tantalum flow in China was very limited and the scientific evidence for formulating targeted policies was insufficient. Stock and flow of tantalum in China were analyzed here, with its entire life cycle from 2011 to 2019, to reveal the key sectors of tantalum use and its recycling potential. Tantalum production in China was around 1000 t, rising rapidly from 2015 to 2019. Although China was one of the main tantalum producers, its tantalum supply was still heavily relied on other countries, 90% of tantalum concentrate was imported. China consumed 740 t tantalum in 2019, and automobile (224 t/a) and electronics (216 t/a) were the top-two sectors of tantalum use. Generation of post-use tantalum was 520.56 t in 2019, accounting for 42% of the primary production, indicating a great urban mining potential in China. The end-of-life recycling rate was only 10%, which was far below other strategic rare metals in China, due to inadequate recycling system. To promote tantalum recycling, it calls for establishing the source-separating system and “reserve bank” of post-use tantalum, as well as an innovative product design for better recycling tantalum resource.