# Niobium: Stocks

Nearly two centuries of reserves, mostly Brazilian

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/niobium/stocks/

What this tab covers How much is left and how much is held. For minerals and energy: reserves, current output, years of supply and recycling for the top five countries. For farm commodities: production, ending stocks and stocks-to-use for the top five producers (USDA, October 2026). It also covers inventories and stockpiles.

#### Top five countries: reserves, output and years of supply

| Country | Reserves kt Nb content | Current output kt Nb content (mine, 2025e) | Years of supply | Recycling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Brazil** | 14,000 | 104 | 135 | n/a |
| **Canada** | 640 | 6 | 107 | n/a |
| **Congo (Kinshasa)** | – | 0.97 | – | n/a |
| **Russia** | 3 | 0.3 | 10 | n/a |
| **Rwanda** | – | 0.2 | – | n/a |
| **China** | 6,500 | 0.04 | – | n/a |

 USGS MCS 2026, Niobium (world mine production and reserves table). China is added for its large reserves; its reserves-to-output ratio is not meaningful. World reserves exceed 21,000 kt, about 190 years of 2025 output.. Years of supply = reserves ÷ current output; reserves grow as prices and technology change, so this is not a countdown.

#### Recycling

Niobium is recycled only inside steel and superalloy scrap; specific recovery is negligible. US: may be up to 20% of apparent consumption (USGS 2026). EU: end-of-life recycling input rate 0% (EU CRM 2023). No figures for China, Japan or India were found.

USGS reserves exceed 21 million tonnes of niobium, about 188 years of 2025 output. Brazil holds 14 million tonnes and China 6.5 million, though China mines very little. USGS calls resources more than adequate for projected needs. Recycling is limited: niobium returns inside steel and superalloy scrap, perhaps up to 20% of US apparent consumption. The EU end-of-life recycling input rate is 0%. Scrap recovery for niobium itself is negligible. The US stockpile planned to acquire 136 tonnes of ferroniobium in FY2025.

#### Reserves
 World reserves 21,000,000 metric tons, Nb content (USGS reports more than 21,000,000) Reserve life 188 years at 2025 production Brazil 67% China 31% Canada 3% United States 1% Russia 0% Largest reserve holders, share of world reserves (USGS MCS 2026). Reserves are what is economic to extract today, not what exists.

#### Recycling
 End-of-life recycling input rate in the EU: 0% of demand met from post-consumer scrap (EU CRM study 2023).

Niobium is recycled within niobium-bearing steels and superalloys; specific recovery is negligible, though recycling may equal as much as 20% of US apparent consumption.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/niobium/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/niobium/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/niobium/correlation/index.md)
- [Extraction](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/niobium/extraction/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/niobium/production/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/niobium/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/niobium/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/niobium/movement/index.md)
- [Criticality](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/niobium/criticality/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/niobium/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/niobium/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/niobium/links/index.md)