PURPOSE: To produce a tantalum material in which the embrittlement of the material is hard to occur even if being used in a high temp. atmosphere by preparing the tantalum material contg. specified amounts of oxygen and rare earth elements.

CONSTITUTION: Tantalum powder with ≤3000ppm oxygen content obtd. by subjecting K2TaF7 to Na reduction is added with 0.01 to 1.0ppm rare earth elements (such as Y, Nd and Ce) or their oxides to make uniform mixed powder. This mixed powder is subjected to press forming into a briquette, which is subjected to heat treatment at about 150°C for about 30min in a vacuum of about ≤10-4Torr to make a sintered briquette. This sintered briquette is melted in a vacuum of about 10-3 to 10-5Torr to produce a tantalum material. In this way, the tantalum material having ≤100ppm oxygen content and 0.01 to 1.0ppm rare earth element contents and used in a high temp. region can be obtd.