Rich Natural Resources Of Niobium

According to the relevant statistics, the world's total niobium reserves of about 38 million tons. Brazil is the world's first niobium resource country, its reserves and production, the largest reserves of about 23 million tons, accounting for 60% of the world's total. It is followed by Australia, Canada, the former Soviet Union and other countries. China is also a rich niobium resources, reserves accounted for about 17% of the world's total. The rich natural resources are the important guarantee and superior conditions for the development of niobium industry. In recent years, the world's demand for niobium tends to stabilize. Table 1 lists the consumption of niobium (Nb2O5) in the world from 1988 to 1997, with an average annual consumption of more than 2.11 million tons. Usage by country and region: 34% in Europe, 30% in North America, 32% in Japan, 4% in other countries; by application: 35% in steel additives, 12% in stainless steel, 10% in ultra-high-temperature alloys, and 3% in other applications.2 Niobium applications in various industrial fields

Due to its high melting point, high strength, heat resistance, good thermal conductivity, low neutron capture cross-section and other good properties, niobium is an indispensable material in modern high-tech industries. Niobium is both an excellent structural material and a special functional material. Generally, according to the niobium intermediate products, the application is roughly divided into two categories, one is to contain 50% ~ 70% of the metal niobium standard grade ferro-niobium as raw material, the production of structural materials, mainly used in the iron and steel industry; the second is to extract, chlorination and other methods of niobium oxide as raw material, the production of niobium alloys, carbide, monocrystalline, high-level ferro-niobium, etc., is used in the field of high technology, functional materials, but also used as a special structural materials.