Question

At today's rate of consumption, the world's known reserves of tantalum will last about ________ more years, but if everyone in the world began consuming tantalum at the rate of U.S. citizens, then it would last for only ________ years.

Answer 1

Answer:

• 200 more years
• 15 years

Explanation:

Tantalum is a metal used to manufacture electronics such as cell phones, computers and digital cameras. The problem with tantalum is that it is found in coltan ore, which is mostly mined in Africa. The African country with the largest tantalum exports is Congo, a country devastated by continuous civil wars. Millions of people have been killed in these civil wars and the warlords control coltan mines.