Deals
The Commodity That No One Knows About But Everybody Wants to Buy
- Niobium is used in steel and 7 times more valuable than copper
- China outbids 15 companies for rare chance to own Brazil mine
Why Everyone Wants to Buy Niobium
This article is for subscribers only.
The world’s mines and steel plants got so devalued during the commodity slump that some were just given away by owners struggling to cut losses or debt. But there’s at least one metal that’s been attracting a lot of attention.
Niobium -- named for a Greek goddess who became a symbol of the tragic mourning mother -- is used to produce stronger, lighter steel for industrial pipes and aircraft parts. It is mined in only three places on Earth, and the price of every kilogram is seven times higher than copper.