Min. [ad. Ger. and Sw. tantalit (named 1802 by Ekeberg), f. TANTALUM (of which it is a source): see -ITE1.] Native tantalate of iron or ferrous tantalate, found in black lustrous crystals.
1805. Nisbet, Dict. Chem., Tantalium … constitutes a component part of tantalite and yttrotantalite.
1809. Wollaston, in Phil. Trans., XCIX. 246.
1868. Watts, Dict. Chem., V. 666. Ferrous Tantalate, FeO . Ta2O5 … occurs native as tantalite … rarely however quite pure, the iron being generally more or less replaced by manganese, and the tantalum by niobium, tin, and zirconium.
