Brazil's CBMM, the world's largest producer of
niobium, said global niobium consumption rose 25 percent in 2018.Niobium is a strategic metal that is used mainly in the manufacture of special steel alloys and is needed annually by about 120,000 tonnes worldwide. Eduardo Ribeiro, CBMM's chief executive, said there was now more capacity than global demand, so there was no point in increasing production at this stage. Indeed, CBMM announced on January 8th that it would invest $200m to expand production in the state of minas gerais. The company's ferrocolumbium production will increase to 110,000 tons in 2019 and 120,000 tons in 2020.In 2018, CBMM produced 100,000 tons of niobium.2018 has been an extraordinary year for CBMM. Niobium has been used in civil engineering, automotive and electric vehicle batteries. Ribeiro said niobium can also be used for specific purposes, such as aircraft engines and semiconductors for medical devices. At present, the global steel production is about 1.7 billion tons, of which 10% ~ 12% USES niobium, and the average per ton of steel USES about 0.5 kg of niobium. While global niobium production is concentrated in Brazil, several other countries are also rich in niobium. After a long decline, global niobium prices have continued to rise in 2018, reaching $38 a kilogram, close to the all-time high of $42 set in 2008.CBMM's main mine, the Araxa open-pit niobium deposit, is the world's largest burnt greenstone deposit and has a smelting plant. Vanadium, niobium's rival, doubled in price in 2018.
