Niobium has unique low-carbon properties As WA1 sees it, niobium...

Niobium has unique low-carbon properties

As WA1 sees it, niobium is a metal with unique properties that make it essential as the world transitions to a low-carbon economy.

Ferroniobium (at 65% niobium) is the primary saleable form of the metal and sells for about $45,000/tonne and is used primarily as a micro-alloy in steel making, providing extra strength, corrosion and heat resistance.

Most notably it was used in the 82,000 tonnes of steel needed by the builders of the Oresund bridge that crosses the strait that separates Denmark and Sweden, which without niobium would have required 15,000 tonnes more steel in its construction.

Using 300 grams of niobium per mid-sized car can lighten the vehicle’s weight by 200 kilograms through less steel needing to be used.

In batteries, the addition of niobium to anodes in lithium-ion batteries raises the number of re-charge cycles (to 20,000) over the battery’s life, and allow recharging in as little as six minutes.