New Technology Produces Cheaper Tantalum and Titanium

Posted by Unknown on Monday February 25, 2013 @08:01PM from the cheap-thinkpads-for-all dept.

Billy the Mountain writes "A small UK company is bringing new technology online that could reduce the prices of tantalum and titanium ten-fold. According to this piece in The Economist: A tantalising prospect, the key is a technique similar to smelting aluminum with a new twist: The metallic oxides are not melted as with aluminum but blended in powder form with a molten salt that serves as a medium and electrolyte. This technology is known as the FFC Cambridge Process. Other metals include Neodymium, Tungsten, and Vanadium."

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Slowpoke by WWJohnBrowningDo · 2013-02-25 20:27 · Score: 0, Flamebait

From Wikipedia:

The FFC Cambridge process was developed by George Z. Chen, Derek J. Fray and Tom W. Farthing between 1996 and 1997 in the University of Cambridge.
I realize /. is a little behind the times, but 17 years behind?

Are we going to have stories about Wright brother's magical flying machines next?