全球鈮市場（第 10 版）

Abstract

The new Roskill report on the niobium industry will be published in August 2005. It will provide up-to-date market analysis of resources, production, consumption, end-use market trends, international trade and prices. The niobium market is remarkably stable. The dominant position held by a very small number of producers ensures that supply and demand are balanced and that prices do not exhibit sharp fluctuations. The price of ferroniobium, the principal niobium product, rarely deviates far from what is a gently upward long-term trend, although falling in real terms. The steel industry accounts for as much as 90% of niobium demand. In addition to a few small-scale producers serving domestic markets in China, India and Russia, this industry is essentially supplied by just three ferroniobium producers: CBMM and Catalﾃ｣o, in Brazil, and Canadas Niocan. There is substantial spare capacity. CBMM, already able to supply all world demand, has recently announced that it is to double its production capacity. The company also has niobium (pyrochlore) reserves sufficient for hundreds of years. This built-in surplus of capacity has largely obviated the need to develop pyrochlore deposits elsewhere in the world. Consumption of niobium was at a record level in 2003 and grew further in 2004, in line with increased steel output, and is expected to continue expanding in 2005 and 2006. Demand for niobium does not exactly mirror trends in overall steel production. Only 10% of the total steel produced contains niobium and the geographical distribution of consumption is very uneven. In China, where most recent growth in steel output has arisen, the incidence of niobium use is reported to be much lower than in the more developed economies. There is significant potential for increased demand for niobium in steel, from both the underlying growth in output and changes in the product mix, from basic to more highly alloyed steels. The largest non-steel use of niobium is in superalloys for, among others, aircraft engines and land-based turbines. Those markets saw strong growth in the late 1990s and into the early part of this century before experiencing a sharp fall that resulted from an economic downturn, the events of September 2001 and SARS. The commercial aircraft market has since begun to recover and is expected to remain on a generally upward trend over the long term. The land-based turbine market has not regained its earlier momentum and faces increasing competition from other power sources. Niobium is also used in the production of low-temperature superconductors (LTS). These have important applications in MRI scanners and high-energy physics research. Although niobium is expected to maintain its position in this market for at least the next decade, the long-term prospects are rather different. Relatively recent technological advances have led to the development of high-temperature superalloys (HTS), which contain no niobium. These superconductors will be used in a number of important emerging applications, such as MAGLEV trains and power transmission. It is quite likely that their use will eventually spread to areas currently dominated by LTS. An emerging market for niobium is in capacitors. The industry has long had an interest in developing niobium capacitors, because of its relatively low cost and abundant supply, but has been hampered by technical difficulties. In recent years, however, concerns over the supply of tantalum, has intensified research into the development of niobium capacitors that can be used in some applications and several have been launched since the turn of the century. Roskill predicts that they will take market share from tantalum types in the years to come and that this use could come to rival superalloys as a market for niobium.

The key trends, issues and developments in the market are now analysed in this major new report from Roskill. It provides a clear insight into all areas of the industry and an authoritative analysis of the prospects for the future.

Table of Contents

1. Summary

2. Introduction

• 2.1Properties of niobium
• 2.2Occurrence of niobium
• 2.3Niobium reserves and resources
• 2.4Mining and processing of niobium raw materials
• 2.5Niobium products
  • 2.5.1Standard-grade ferroniobium
  • 2.5.2Niobium oxide
  • 2.5.3Vacuum-grade ferroniobium and nickel-niobium
  • 2.5.4Niobium metal, alloys and intermetallics
  • 2.5.5Other niobium compounds

3. World production of niobium

• 3.1Production of niobium raw materials
• 3.2Downstream niobium products

4. Production and processing of niobium by country

• 4.1Angola
• 4.2Armenia
• 4.3Argentina
• 4.4Australia
  • 4.4.1Reserves of niobium
  • 4.4.2Production of niobium minerals
  • 4.4.3International trade in tantalite concentrates
  • 4.4.4Past, current and potential producers of niobium minerals
    • 4.4.4.1Australian Zirconia Ltd. (AZL)
    • 4.4.4.2Galaxy Resources Ltd.
    • 4.4.4.3Glengarry Resources Ltd.
    • 4.4.4.4Haddington Resources Ltd.
    • 4.4.4.5Lynas Corp. Ltd.
    • 4.4.4.6Queensland Tantalite Pty. Ltd.
    • 4.4.4.7Sons of Gwalia Ltd. (SoG)
    • 4.4.4.8Tantalum Australia NL (TAA)
    • 4.4.4.9International interests
• 4.5Austria
  • 4.5.1Processors of niobium
    • 4.5.1.1Plansee GmbH
    • 4.5.1.2Treibacher Industrie AG
• 4.6Belgium
• 4.7Bolivia
• 4.8Brazil
  • 4.8.1Reserves of niobium
  • 4.8.2Production of niobium minerals and products
  • 4.8.3International trade in niobium products
  • 4.8.4Producers of niobium minerals and products
    • 4.8.4.1Cia. Brasiliera de Metalurgia e Mineracão (CBMM)
    • 4.8.4.2Cia. Industrial Fluminense
    • 4.8.4.3Mineracão Catalão de Goias Ltda. (MCG)
    • 4.8.4.4Paranapanema Group
    • 4.8.4.5Other resources
• 4.9Burundi
• 4.10Canada
  • 4.10.1Production of niobium minerals
  • 4.10.2International trade in niobium minerals and products
  • 4.10.3Current and potential producers of niobium minerals and products
    • 4.10.3.1Avalon Ventures Ltd.
    • 4.10.3.2Cambior Inc.
    • 4.10.3.3Commerce Resources Corp.
    • 4.10.3.4Cross Lake Minerals Ltd.
    • 4.10.3.5Houston Lake Mining Ltd.
    • 4.10.3.6MCK Mining Corp./Baltic Resources Inc.
    • 4.10.3.7Niocan Inc.
    • 4.10.3.8SOQUEM
    • 4.10.3.9Tantalum Mining Corp. (TANCO)
• 4.11Chad
• 4.12China
  • 4.12.1Reserves of niobium
  • 4.12.2Production of niobium minerals
  • 4.12.3International trade in niobium minerals and products
  • 4.12.4Current and potential producers of niobium minerals
    • 4.12.4.1Limu Non-Ferrous Metal Co.
    • 4.12.4.2Minning Tantalum-Niobium Mining Development
    • 4.12.4.3Xinjiang Non-Ferrous Metals Industry Corp.
    • 4.12.4.4Yichun Tantalum and Niobium Mine
    • 4.12.4.5Other
  • 4.12.5Processors of niobium
    • 4.12.5.1Conghua Tantalum & Niobium Smelter
    • 4.12.5.2Jiangxi Yizhong Nonferrous Metal Plant
    • 4.12.5.3Jiujiang Tanbre Smeltery
    • 4.12.5.4Lingguang Electronic Chemical Material Technology Co.
    • 4.12.5.5Ninxia Orient Tantalum Industry Co. Ltd.
    • 4.12.5.6Shizhuishan Jinlian
    • 4.12.5.7Yifeng Guizu
    • 4.12.5.8Other
• 4.13Congo Brazzaville
• 4.14Cote d'Ivoire
• 4.15Democratic Republic of Congo
  • 4.15.1Production and exports of niobium minerals
  • 4.15.2Producers of niobium minerals
    • 4.15.2.1Somikivu
    • 4.15.2.2Société Minière et Industrielle du Kivu (Sominki)
    • 4.15.2.3Zairetain
• 4.16Egypt
  • 4.16.1Tantalum Egypt LLC
• 4.17Equatorial Guinea
• 4.18Estonia
  • 4.18.1AS Silmet
• 4.19Ethiopia
• 4.20Finland
• 4.21France
• 4.22Gabon
• 4.23Germany
  • 4.23.1Processors of niobium
    • 4.23.1.1GfE
    • 4.23.1.2Freiberger NE-Metall GmbH
    • 4.23.1.3WC Heraeus GmbH.
    • 4.23.1.4HC Starck GmbH & Co. KG
• 4.24Ghana
• 4.25Greenland
  • 4.25.1Angus & Ross plc
  • 4.25.2New Millennium Resources NL
• 4.26Guyane
• 4.27India
• 4.28Japan
  • 4.28.1Ferroniobium
  • 4.28.2Niobium processors
• 4.29Kazakhstan
  • 4.29.1Reserves of niobium
  • 4.29.2Producers and processors of niobium
    • 4.29.2.1Belogorsky Mining-Concentrating Combine
    • 4.29.2.2Irtysh Polymetallurgical Works
    • 4.29.2.3Ulbinsky Metallurgical Plant (UMP)
• 4.30Madagascar
• 4.31Malawi
• 4.32Malaysia
  • 4.32.1Reserves of niobium
  • 4.32.2Production of niobium minerals
  • 4.32.3International trade in niobium minerals
• 4.33Mongolia
• 4.34Mozambique
  • 4.34.1Production of niobium minerals
  • 4.34.2Producers of niobium minerals
    • 4.34.2.1Hegemony Resources Ltda.
    • 4.34.2.2Fleming Family & Partners
    • 4.34.2.3Companhia Mineira do Morrua Lda.
    • 4.34.2.4Other
• 4.35Namibia
  • 4.35.1Reserves of niobium
  • 4.35.2Production of niobium minerals
  • 4.35.3Producers of niobium minerals
    • 4.35.3.1Tantalite Valley Mining
    • 4.35.3.2Central African Mining and Exploration Co. (CAMEC)
    • 4.35.3.3Reefton Mining NL
    • 4.35.3.4Other
• 4.36Nigeria
  • 4.36.1Production of niobium minerals
• 4.37Portugal
• 4.38Russia
  • 4.38.1Reserves of niobium
    • 4.38.1.1Production of niobium minerals
  • 4.38.2Past, current and potential producers of niobium minerals
    • 4.38.2.1Alrosa
    • 4.38.2.2ZAO Lovozerskaya Mining and Enrichment Co.
    • 4.38.2.3Malyshevsky RudoUpravlenie
    • 4.38.2.4Novoorlovsky GOK
    • 4.38.2.5JSC Stalmag
    • 4.38.2.6TechnoInvest Alliance
    • 4.38.2.7Vishnevsky GOK
    • 4.38.2.8Zabaikalsky GOK
  • 4.38.3Processors of niobium
    • 4.38.3.1Kirovo-Chepetsk Mechanical Plant
    • 4.38.3.2Solikamsk Magnesium Works (SMZ)
    • 4.38.3.3JSC Uralredmet
• 4.39Rwanda
• 4.40Saudi Arabia
  • 4.40.1Tertiary Minerals plc
  • 4.40.2Other
• 4.41Sierra Leone
• 4.42Somalia
• 4.43South Africa
• 4.44Spain
• 4.45Switzerland
• 4.46Tanzania
• 4.47Thailand
  • 4.47.1Production of niobium minerals
  • 4.47.2Producers and processors of niobium
    • 4.47.2.1HC Starck (Thailand) Co. Ltd.
    • 4.47.2.2Thailand Smelting and Refining Co. (Thaisarco)
• 4.48Uganda
• 4.49Ukraine
• 4.50UK
• 4.51USA
  • 4.51.1Reserves of niobium
  • 4.51.2International trade in niobium minerals and products
  • 4.51.3DLA stockpile
  • 4.51.4Processors and suppliers of niobium
    • 4.51.4.1Aremco Products Inc.
    • 4.51.4.2ATI Wah Chang
    • 4.51.4.3Atomergic Chemetals Corp.
    • 4.51.4.4Cabot Supermetals
    • 4.51.4.5CC Metals & Alloys Inc.
    • 4.51.4.6Crystal Technology Inc.
    • 4.51.4.7Fansteel Inc.
    • 4.51.4.8Kennametal Inc.
    • 4.51.4.9Metallurg Inc.
    • 4.51.4.10Molycorp Inc.
    • 4.51.4.11Monico Alloys Inc.
    • 4.51.4.12Phoenix Metallurgical Co.
    • 4.51.4.13Reading Alloys Inc.
    • 4.51.4.14Reference Metals Co.
    • 4.51.4.15Resources Alloys and Metals Inc.
    • 4.51.4.16HC Starck Inc.
    • 4.51.4.17Trinitech International Inc.
• 4.52Venezuela
• 4.53Zambia
• 4.54Zimbabwe

5. International trade in niobium minerals and products

• 5.1International trade in ferroniobium
• 5.2International trade in other niobium products
  • 5.2.1Niobium metal and alloys
  • 5.2.2Niobium oxide
  • 5.2.3Niobium, tantalum and vanadium ores and concentrates

6. Consumption of niobium

• 6.1Consumption of niobium by form
• 6.2Consumption of niobium by region
  • 6.2.1Brazil
  • 6.2.2China
  • 6.2.3Europe
  • 6.2.4Japan
  • 6.2.5USA

7. Use of niobium in ferrous metallurgy

• 7.1Alloy steels
  • 7.1.1Strengthening mechanisms for steel
    • 7.1.1.1Grain refinement
    • 7.1.1.2Precipitation hardening
  • 7.1.2High-strength, low-alloy (HSLA) steels
  • 7.1.3Line pipe steels
    • 7.1.3.1Line pipe market trends
  • 7.1.4Automotive steels
    • 7.1.4.1Motor vehicle industry trends
  • 7.1.5Pressure vessel steels
  • 7.1.6Reinforcing bars
  • 7.1.7Structural applications
  • 7.1.8High-strength steel castings
  • 7.1.9Niobium-containing full-alloy structural steels
  • 7.1.10Production of high-strength steels
• 7.2Stainless and heat-resisting steels
  • 7.2.1Austenitic stainless steels
  • 7.2.2Martensitic and maraging stainless steels
  • 7.2.3Ferritic stainless steels
  • 7.2.4Heat-resisting steels
  • 7.2.5Duplex stainless steel
  • 7.2.6Stainless casting steels
  • 7.2.7Production of stainless steel
  • 7.2.8Consumption of stainless steel
  • 7.2.9Trends in the market for niobium-containing stainless steels
• 7.3Interstitial-free steels
• 7.4Carbon steel
  • 7.4.1Production of carbon steels
  • 7.4.2Markets for carbon steels
• 7.5Other alloy steels
  • 7.5.1Tool steels
  • 7.5.2Rail steels
• 7.6Steel castings
• 7.7Consumption of niobium in steel
• 7.8Cast iron

8. Use of niobium in non-ferrous alloys

• 8.1High-performance alloys
  • 8.1.1.1Nickel-base alloys
  • 8.1.1.2Cobalt-base alloys
  • 8.1.1.3Iron-base alloys
  • 8.1.2Production and consumption of high-performance alloys
    • 8.1.2.1Aerospace industry trends
    • 8.1.2.2Non-aerospace applications
  • 8.1.3Consumption of niobium in high-performance alloys
• 8.2Titanium alloys
• 8.3Zirconium alloys
  • 8.3.1Nuclear industry trends
• 8.4Tantalum alloys
• 8.5Copper alloys
• 8.6Shape memory alloys
• 8.7Metallic glass alloys
• 8.8Other alloys

9. Niobium metal and niobium-base alloys

• 9.1Use of niobium-base alloys in superconductors
  • 9.1.1Superconductor technology development
  • 9.1.2Applications for superconductors
    • 9.1.2.1Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
    • 9.1.2.2High-energy physics
    • 9.1.2.3Electricity generation, storage and transmission
    • 9.1.2.4Nuclear fusion research
    • 9.1.2.5Magnetic levitation and propulsion systems
    • 9.1.2.6Industrial cyclotrons and synchrotrons
    • 9.1.2.7High-intensity magnetic separators
    • 9.1.2.8Electronics
  • 9.1.3Markets for superconductors and demand for niobium
  • 9.1.4Manufacturers of niobium superconductors
• 9.2Niobium-aluminium alloys
• 9.3Niobium-titanium alloys
• 9.4Niobium-zirconium alloys
  • 9.4.1Sodium discharge street lamps
• 9.5Niobium-hafnium alloys
• 9.6Other niobium alloys
• 9.7Niobium metal
  • 9.7.1Cathodic protection
  • 9.7.2Surgical implants
  • 9.7.3Body jewellery
  • 9.7.4Electronic devices
    • 9.7.4.1Capacitors
    • 9.7.4.2Other
  • 9.7.5Furnaces and other high-temperature manufacturing equipment
  • 9.7.6Coinage
  • 9.7.7Radioisotopes

10. Niobium chemicals

• 10.1Optical glass
• 10.2Enamels
• 10.3Electronics and opto-electronics
  • 10.3.1Lithium niobate
  • 10.3.2Production of lithium niobate and other niobate crystals
  • 10.3.3Producers of lithium niobate and lithium niobate assemblies
  • 10.3.4Surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices
  • 10.3.5Optical switches and circuits
    • 10.3.5.1Lithium niobate modulators
    • 10.3.5.2Frequency converters
    • 10.3.5.3Other semiconductor applications of lithium niobate
  • 10.3.6Oxygen and humidity detectors
  • 10.3.7Ferroelectric thin films
  • 10.3.8Ceramic capacitors
  • 10.3.9Ferrites
• 10.4Catalysts
• 10.5Cemented carbides

11. Niobium prices

• 11.1Ferroniobium prices
• 11.2Other niobium products
• 11.3Prices of niobium-containing ores and concentrates

List of Tables

• Table 1: Physical properties of niobium
• Table 2: Oxidation and temperature resistance of niobium
• Table 3: Principal niobium-bearing minerals
• Table 4: Commercial grades of ferroniobium and nickel-niobium
• Table 5: CBMM: Specifications for commercial niobium oxides
• Table 6: Cabot: Specifications for commercial niobium oxides
• Table 7: Properties of niobium beryllides, boride and nitride
• Table 8: Specifications for lithium niobate
• Table 9: World: Production of niobium raw materials, 1999 to 2004
• Table 10: Australia: Production of tantalite, 1991 to 2004
• Table 11: Australia: Summary of identified trade in tantalite concentrates, 2000 to 2004
• Table 12: Haddington Resources: Production of tantalum minerals at Bald Hill, 2002 to 2005
• Table 13: Sons of Gwalia: Tantalum minerals reserves and resources1
• Table 14: Sons of Gwalia: Production of tantalum minerals, 1999 to 2004
• Table 15: Brazil: Reserves of pyrochlore, 2000
• Table 16: Brazil: Reserves of columbite-tantalite, 2000
• Table 17: Brazil: Production of pyrochlore, 1980 to 2003
• Table 18: Brazil: Output of niobium products, 1988 to 2003
• Table 19: Brazil: Exports of ferroniobium, 1990 to 2004
• Table 20: Mineracão Catalão de Goias : Production of niobium, 2003 and 2004
• Table 21: Paranapanema: Hard rock mineral reserves
• Table 22: Burundi: Production of columbite-tantalite, 1992 to 2003
• Table 23: Burundi: Exports of columbite-tantalite concentrates by company, 2001
• Table 24: Canada: Production of niobium, 1973 to 2004
• Table 25: Canada: Trade in ferroniobium, 1996 to 2004
• Table 26: Niobec: Niobium production, 1991 to 2001
• Table 27: Niobec: Niobium resources
• Table 28: Niocan: Ore reserves
• Table 29: China: Summary of tantalum minerals deposits
• Table 30: China: Imports of ferroniobium, 1997 to 2004
• Table 31: Conghua Tantalum & Niobium Smelter: Capacity and production, 1998
• Table 32: Democratic Republic of Congo: Production of niobium, 1980 to 2004
• Table 33: Egypt: Tantalum minerals resources at Abu Dabbab
• Table 34: Egypt: Tantalum minerals resources at Nuweibi
• Table 35: HC Starck: Typical assays of tin slags and synthetic concentrates
• Table 36: Japan: Production and imports of ferroniobium, 1990 to 2004
• Table 37: Japan New Metals: Compositions of carbide and boride powders
• Table 38: Kazakhstan: Principal deposits of tantalum and niobium-bearing ores
• Table 39: Malaysia: Production of struverite and cassiterite, 1980 to 2003
• Table 40: Malaysia: Summary of identified trade in niobium minerals, 1999 to 2004
• Table 41: Mozambique: Production of niobium minerals, 2000 to 2004
• Table 42: Namibia: Summary of tantalum and niobium minerals resources
• Table 43: Namibia: Production of tantalite concentrate, 1981 to 1995
• Table 44: Namibia: Production of tantalum minerals, 2000 to 2004
• Table 45: Nigeria: Production of niobium minerals, 1999 to 2004
• Table 46: Columbia River Resources: Summary of sampling results
• Table 47: Russia: Principal deposits of niobium-bearing ores
• Table 48: SMZ: Composition of niobium products
• Table 49: Rwanda: Production of niobium minerals, 1983 to 2004
• Table 50: Rwanda: Mines operated by REDEMI
• Table 51: Saudi Arabia: Other tantalum-niobium resources
• Table 52: Uganda: Columbite-tantalite licence holders
• Table 53: USA: Summary of international trade in niobium minerals and products,2000-2004
• Table 54: Zimbabwe: Production of niobium minerals, 1980 to 2003
• Table 55: World: International trade in ferroniobium, 1997 to 2004
• Table 56: Principal export trade flows for ferroniobium, 2002 to 2004
• Table 57: World: International trade in niobium, 1997 to 2004
• Table 58: USA: Imports of niobium oxide, 1997 to 2003
• Table 59: World: International trade in niobium, tantalum and vanadium ores and concentrates, 2000 to 2004
• Table 60: World: Market for niobium, 1978 to 2004
• Table 61: World: Processors' shipments of niobium products, 1999 to 2004
• Table 62: World: Consumption of high-purity niobium oxide
• Table 63: Brazil: Apparent consumption of niobium products 1991 to 2003
• Table 64: Europe: Consumption of niobium, 1968, 1978 to 1998
• Table 65: Japan: Apparent consumption of niobium metal and ferroniobium, 1990 to 2004
• Table 66: USA: Apparent consumption of niobium, 1993 to 2004
• Table 67: USA: Reported consumption of ferroniobium and nickel-niobium, 1997 to 2003
• Table 68: Principal precipitation-hardening mechanisms for steel
• Table 69: Effects of niobium and vanadium additions on yield strength
• Table 70: Alloying additions and properties of ASTM grades of HSLA steels
• Table 71: Niobium-containing hot-rolled and cold-rolled HSLA steels
• Table 72: Development of line pipe steels
• Table 73: Composition of electric-resistance-welded line pipe steels
• Table 74: World: Pipeline construction by type and region 1991, 1995 to 2003
• Table 75:Typical HSLA steel automobile parts in Japan and Europe
• Table 76: World: Production of passenger vehicles, 1997 to 2003
• Table 77: Niobium-containing full-alloy structural steels
• Table 78: Niobium-containing maraging steels
• Table 79: Composition of niobium-bearing heat-resisting stainless steels
• Table 80: World: Production of stainless steel by region, 2001-2005
• Table 81: World: Production of crude stainless steel by country, 1994 to 2003
• Table 82: World: Stainless steel melt capacity by region, 2000-2004
• Table 83: World: Leading producers of stainless steel, 2002, 2003 and 2005
• Table 84: World: Consumption of stainless steel by country, 1995-2003
• Table 85: Selected countries: Share of stainless steel production held by austenitic grades, 2002 & 2003
• Table 86: Composition of Nippon Steel interstitial-free steel
• Table 87: World: Production of crude steel and carbon steel, 1992 to 2004
• Table 88: World: Production of carbon steel by country, 1990 to 1998
• Table 89: Composition of niobium-containing rail steels
• Table 90: World: Shipments of HSLA-grade ferroniobium, 1988 to 2004
• Table 91: World: Consumption of ferroniobium in steels, 2001
• Table 92: USA: Consumption of niobium in steel, by type, 1973 to 2003
• Table 93: World: Apparent consumption of finished steel, 2004, and forecasts to 2006
• Table 94: Composition of niobium-containing superalloys
• Table 95: Japan: Shipments of nickel alloys and superalloys by type, 1995 to 2002
• Table 96: World: Consumption of high-performance alloys, by area, 1999
• Table 97: World: Principal superalloy producers
• Table 98: Forecast aircraft engine deliveries, 2003-2022
• Table 99: Specifications for niobium materials used in superalloy manufacture
• Table 100: USA: Consumption of niobium in superalloys, 1975 to 2003
• Table 101: Niobium-containing titanium alloys
• Table 102: Producers and fabricators of zirconium/Zircaloy for nuclear applications
• Table 103: Forecast growth in nuclear power capacity, 2002 to 2020
• Table 104: World: Summary of nuclear power generation capacity operating and under construction, 2005
• Table 105: Development of metallic and ceramic superconductors
• Table 106: Critical values for niobium-based superconductors
• Table 107: World: Markets for superconductors, 2000, 2004 & 2010
• Table 108: World: Major superconducting wire producers
• Table 109: Selected properties of lithium niobate
• Table 110: Properties and applications of niobate ferroelectric materials
• Table 111: Properties of selected tungsten-bronze ferro-electric materials
• Table 112: Catalytic applications of niobium compounds and complexes
• Table 113: Applications for surface niobium oxide phases in catalysis
• Table 114: Basic physical properties of selected carbides
• Table 115: Tantalum carbide suppliers and fabricators
• Table 116: Brazil: Average prices of ferroniobium, 1984 to 2003
• Table 117: Year-end prices of ferroniobium, 1973 to 2004
• Table 118: Japan: Average price for ferroniobium, 1996 to 2004
• Table 119: Selected countries: Average value of ferroniobium imported from Brazil and Canada, 2004
• Table 120: Brazil: Average prices of niobium products, 1984 to 2003
• Table 121: Year-end prices of niobium products, 1975 to 1997
• Table 122: US imports of niobium oxide 1997-2003
• Table 123: Average year-end prices for columbite and tantalite ores, 1990 to 2004

List of Figures

• Figure 1: World: Evolution of global GDP and ferroniobium prices, 1984 to 2003
• Figure 2: Solvent extraction of tantalum and niobium compounds
• Figure 3: Oxalate crystallisation process
• Figure 4: Aluminothermic production of ferroniobium
• Figure 5: Niobium production by the aluminothermic reduction process
• Figure 6: World: Production of niobium raw materials, 1978 to 2004
• Figure 7: World: International trade in ferroniobium, 1997 to 2004
• Figure 8: World: Market for niobium, 1978 to 2004
• Figure 9: Europe: Consumption of niobium by country, 1997
• Figure 10: World: Estimated production of HSLA steels by country and region, 2002
• Figure 11: World: Consumption of stainless steel by end use
• Figure 12: China: Consumption of stainless steel by end use
• Figure 13: India: Consumption of stainless steel by end use
• Figure 14: World: Approximate division of production of carbon steel by principal countries, 2000
• Figure 15: World: Shipments of HSLA-grade ferroniobium, 1988 to 2004
• Figure 16: USA: Crude steel production and ferroniobium consumption, 1992 to 2003
• Figure 17: World: Demand for high-performance alloys, by end-use, 2001
• Figure 18: World: Processors' shipments of VG ferroniobium, NiNb alloy and niobium metal, 2002 to 2004
• Figure 19: USA: Deliveries of commercial aircraft and consumption of niobium insuperalloys, 1975 to 2001
• Figure 20: Brazil: Average annual prices of standard-grade ferroniobium and niobium oxide, 1984 to 2003
• Figure 21: USA: Average year-end prices of ferroniobium and ferrovanadium, 1973 to 2001
• Figure 22: Year-end price for columbite ore, 1960 to 2001