Tantalum Powder Producer Gears Up in Nevada

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Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated; Houston, Texas). Start up company Niotan Incorporated, a subsidiary of Pacific Ores, Metals & Chemicals Incorporated (Vallejo, California) is equipping its new tantalum powder processing plant located in Mound House, Nevada. The plant will process ore salt using a refining and purification process to produce specialty grades of tantalum powder.

Niotan is hoping to capitalize on the expected growing market for tantalum powders. Right now the main end use for tantalum powders is in the electronics industry for tantalum capacitors, but new technology developments show a bright future for the product, including end uses in the medical industry as a prosthesis material and various aerospace applications.

Niotan is renovating about 100,000 square feet of production and office space located at 16 Bruce Way in Mound House, Nevada, which is close to Carson City. The company has a temporary office right around the corner at 45 Heppner Drive.

Niotan is expecting to be ready for operations by early in the first quarter of 2003. The company will begin with one shift, but will increase to three working shifts with the addition of more ovens. The plant could possibly employ 90 people within one to two years.

The company will process tantalum powder through a refining and purification process, which involves milling, tumbling, blending, and mixing. The finished product is bagged for shipping. As the tantalum powder process is perfected, the company will be looking to automate manual systems to measure temperature and weight, load cells, and relay switches. This includes the addition of PLC's (Programmable Logic Controls) and annunciator panels. Specialty utilities at the plant will include a nitrogen purging system and an argon gas system. The company will also require some waste stream evaporation and disposal.