| Abstract |
Niobium, a critical but often overlooked material, plays a crucial role in the Anthropocene era. Serving as a microalloying element in steel, typically at concentrations of 0.05-0.15 wt.%, niobium significantly enhances steel properties. Despite its pivotal role in structural, automotive, pipeline, and alloy sectors, niobium's importance is often unnoticed due to its low concentration in steel. This study employs dynamic and static material flow analyses (MFA) from 1950 to 2022, emphasizing environmental impacts and forecasting trends up to 2050 to unveil the evolution, global dynamic flows, and prospects of niobium. The MFA showed that in the 2000-2022 period, 996 Mt of niobium remains in use, 19 Mt was recycled, and a projected loss of 977 Mt is anticipated if no actions are taken. This emphasizes the critical need for sustainable practices in managing endof-life niobium-bearing applications, with substantial potential for reutilization within a closed loop in the steel industry. |
