Commerce Resources Corp (CCE)

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Niobium demand expected to pick up in 2010

LONDON (Metal-Pages) 18-Feb-08. A strong recovery in demand for niobium should take place in 2010, though declining auto sales are expected to impact heavily on the use of niobium in ferritic stainless steel in 2009, metals consultants Roskill Information Services say.

In the stainless steel sector, niobium is used mainly in ferritic stainless, notably in automobile exhausts.

"2009 will not be a good year in this market; vehicle production forecasts are grim and Roskill expects total stainless steel demand to be nearly 20% down from its 2007 peak," Roskill says in the just-released 11th edition of its 'Economics of Niobium' report.

"In the longer term, this could be a significant growth market for niobium, particularly if continuing volatility in nickel prices leads to a large-scale and permanent switch from the use of nickel-bearing austenitic stainless to nickel-free ferritic steels," said the consultancy.

There is ample scope for niobium consumption to grow considerably in some parts of the world, particularly given global demand for gas linepipe is likely to remain buoyant for many years, the report underlines.

High-pressure linepipe is dependent on the use of high strength low alloy (HSLA) steel grades for which niobium is essential.

Last year, the overall unit consumption of niobium in steel was around 55-60g/tonne of steel produced.

In more highly developed countries the figure was 100g/tonne or more, while in China only around 40g/tonne were consumed meaning significant potential for the increased use of niobium.

Last year, around 10% of the steel produced globally contained niobium, but that share could reach as high as 20% in future with increased demand for HSLA steels, stainless steels and super-alloys, the report outlines