Brownish black to black crystals. The only specimen I have of this is a polished ball.
Columbite contains both Niobium and Tantalum. Tantalum is called after Tantalus in Greek mythology, whose evil life condemned him to suffer eternally from thirst while standing up to his chin in a river. When he stooped down to drink, the water drained away. Tantalum cannot absorb water. Niobium was called after Niobe, who was the daughter of Tantalus. She was turned to stone as she wept for her children, slain by Artemis and Apollo. Since Niobium and Tantalum are found mixed together, this seemed an appropriate name.
In Ian Fleming's book Moonraker, the enemy of James Bond is Hugo Drax, who made his fortune by owning a monopoly of Columbite.
