Niobium: Trading
No exchange: one producer sells straight to mills
What this tab covers How and where it is bought and sold: who buys and sells, exchanges and benchmarks, contract types, the big trading houses and how prices are discovered.There is no exchange market. Ferroniobium sells on negotiated contracts, typical for metals traded in small quantities (Tilton & Guzmán). Agencies such as Fastmarkets and Argus publish reference prices, but most volume moves directly from the Brazilian producer to steelmakers. Asian steel companies hold minority stakes in that producer, aligning buyer and seller. Niobium oxide and metal for superalloys trade in small, specialised contracts.
Where it is bought (buyers)
- Steel mills in China, Korea, Japan, Europe, the US and India buy standard ferroniobium on annual contracts
- Aerospace alloy makers buy vacuum-grade FeNb, NiNb and oxide
- Superconductor wire makers buy niobium metal
Where it is sold (sellers)
- Brazil exported 76% of world ferroniobium by value in 2023, mainly CBMM and CMOC
- Canada (Niobec) 9.4% and Singapore, a distribution hub, 8.3% (UN Comtrade 2023)
Exchanges and benchmarks
| Venue | Contract | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| No exchange-traded market | Ferroniobium trades on bilateral contracts | Asian Metal assesses Chinese FeNb prices; USGS reports a US average unit value |
Contract types
- Annual or multi-year supply agreements between CBMM and steel mills
- Spot sales from Chinese and Singapore warehouses
- Offtakes for high-purity products with aerospace customers
Top trading houses
- CBMM and CMOC sell mostly direct to steel mills rather than through trading houses
- Minor-metals traders handle coltan concentrates
How prices are discovered
- Bilateral contract prices (not published)
- Asian Metal and Fastmarkets ferroniobium assessments
- USGS US ferroniobium unit value from trade data