Niobium
World mine production and reserves, 2024–2025
Share of world mine production, 2025 · world total 112,000 metric tons
- Brazil 93%
- Canada 5.4%
- DR Congo 0.9%
- Russia 0.3%
- Rwanda 0.2%
- China under 0.1%
- Other countries 0.4%
Brazil accounted for 93% of world mine production of niobium in 2025 (104,000 metric tons of 112,000 metric tons). Only 2 of the 72 commodities with a world total had a larger single-country share. The United States relied on net imports for all of its niobium consumption in 2025. The three largest producers, Brazil, Canada, and DR Congo, together supplied 99%.
Producer log
7 countries listed separately
| Country | Mine production 2024 | Mine production 2025 | Share of world 2025 | Change on 2024 | Reserves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 104,000 | 104,000 | 93% | 0% | 14,000,000 |
| Canada | 6,900 | 6,000 | 5.4% | −13% | 640,000 |
| DR Congo | 930 | 970 | 0.9% | +4.3% | not available |
| Russia | 300 | 300 | 0.3% | 0% | 3,000 |
| Rwanda | 210 | 200 | 0.2% | −4.8% | not available |
| China | 44 | 40 | under 0.1% | −9.1% | 6,500,000 |
| United States | 0 | 0 | 210,000 | ||
| Other countries | 160 | 120 | 0.1% | not available | |
| World total | 112,000 | 112,000 | 100% | 0% | more than 21,000,000 |
United States
supply, trade and import sources
100%
Net import reliance in 2025, as a percentage of apparent consumption.
2021100
2022100
2023100
2024100
2025100
Import sources of niobium and tantalum ores and concentrates, 2021–24
- Australia 62%
- DR Congo 9%
- Mozambique 9%
- United Arab Emirates 5%
- Other countries 15%
Uses named for it in the 2025 critical minerals list: steels and superalloys.
| Item | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production, mine | — | — | — | — | — |
| Imports for consumption | 8,230 | 9,110 | 10,100 | 9,820 | 10,000 |
| Exports | 992 | 667 | 951 | 485 | 420 |
| Consumption: Apparent | 7,240 | 8,440 | 9,100 | 9,340 | 9,900 |
| Consumption: Reported | 6,110 | 7,230 | 7,110 | 6,600 | 6,700 |
Open in the producer explorerWhich minerals depend most on one country Which minerals the United States imports most
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Niobium chapter (PDF page 142). How to read these figures.