Centre fixes royalty rate for Niobium: All you need to know about this high-value metal

In the Steel Industry: Approximately 90% of niobium is used in the steel industry, where it acts as a micro-alloy with iron. Even in small quantities (less than 1 %), niobium significantly enhances steel’s strength and reduces its weight. This results in the production of economical, lightweight products used in construction, gas and oil pipelines, and automotive industries. The use of niobium-containing steel has led to increased fuel efficiency and improved safety ratings in vehicles.

Superalloys: Niobium is a crucial component in nickel and nickel-iron superalloys, especially in applications requiring strength and heat resistance. These superalloys find applications in aeronautics, such as turbine blades in jet engines, and in the energy sector for gas turbines.

Superconductors: Niobium becomes a superconductor at extremely low temperatures. When alloyed with titanium or tin, it forms superconducting magnets utilised in medical imaging devices like MRI scanners, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) equipment and particle accelerators such as the Large Hadron Collider at CERN.

Other Applications: Niobium is used in various other applications including glass production (for corrective spectacles and camera lenses), jewellery, prosthetics, medical implants, electronic circuits (niobium capacitors), sodium vapour lamps, and cutting tools.

The demand for niobium has risen globally due to several factors, including the need for high-quality steel in infrastructure projects in industrialising countries like China. Additionally, its applications in emerging technologies like superconductors for nuclear fusion reactors and magnetic levitation trains have contributed to the demand surge.

The primary source of niobium is the mineral columbite, which is found in countries such as Canada, Brazil, Australia, and Nigeria. It is also produced as a by-product of tin extraction.