Mined Minerals

Cabot Specialty Fluids/Tantalum Mining Corporation of Canada Limited (TANCO) mines and processes pollucite, spodumene and tantalum ores for various markets worldwide. Mining is carried out using a "room and pillar" method. Ore is harvested with underground machinery and hoisted to the surface for processing.

These ores are processed using various techniques, such as gravity concentration, floatation, and in the case of pollucite, grinding to 200 mesh for our acid leaching process. Pollucite is mined, ground and processed into cesium formate and fine cesium chemicals. Cesium formate is concentrated through an evaporation process, buffered and drummed. Fine cesium chemicals are processed similarly to cesium formate, packaged and shipped to our customers. Tantalum is mined, ground and processed into powder. The product is drummed and shipped to our sister company, Cabot Performance Materials. Spodumene is mined, ground and processed into powder. The product is graded into three products, 7.25%, -200 mesh, and 6.8% concentrates before it is shipped to our customers. Pollucite minerals are sold internally for the production of cesium formate and fine cesium chemicals.

The major uses for tantalum are in the electronics industry and for cutting tools. High quality capacitors are the major single use for tantalum. Tanco's lithia (spodumene) reserves are suitable for the ceramic and specialty glass industries.

Cabot Specialty Fluids (CSF), 25025 I-45 North, Suite 385, The Woodlands, TX 77380. Tel: 281-298-9955; Fax: 281-298-6190.