Mineral Commodity Summaries 2019

Abstract

Domestic Production and Use: Significant U.S. niobium mine production has not been reported since 1959. Domestic niobium resources are of low grade, some are mineralogically complex, and most are not commercially recoverable. Forty-three companies in the United States produced niobium-containing materials from imported niobium minerals, oxides, and ferroniobium. Niobium was consumed mostly in the form of ferroniobium by the steel industry and as niobium alloys and metal by the aerospace industry. Major end-use distribution of reported niobium consumption was as follows: steels, 79%; and superalloys, 21%. In 2014, the estimated value of niobium consumption was $500 million, as measured by the value of imports.