Vanadium
A pinch of vanadium makes steel far stronger; most of it is a by-product of iron ore smelted in China and Russia.
Steel & alloying · No. 17
- EU critical 2023
- US critical 2025
- India critical 2023
- HHI 5,127 · highly concentrated
Henry Ford sold the Model T on its vanadium steel, and a pinch of the same metal still strengthens today's rebar.
Chart: Illustration: Vanadium
Where it comes from
Chart: Map of where it comes from
Vanadium is common but thinly spread, under 2% of its host rocks. Most is recovered from the slag when vanadium-bearing iron ore is smelted.
Three things to know
- Only 0.05-0.15% vanadium in steel refines its grain enough to cut the steel needed in rebar and beams.
- About 85% of vanadium is a by-product, mostly of smelting iron ore in China and Russia.
- US vanadium comes entirely from ash, residues and spent catalysts, and rose from 3,200 tonnes in 2021 to about 7,500 in 2025.
The journey
- 1 Titanomagnetite oreIron ore carrying a little vanadium
- 2 IronmakingVanadium concentrates into the slag
- 3 PentoxideSlag roasted and leached to V2O5
- 4 AlloysFerrovanadium or vanadium-aluminium master alloy
- 5 End usesStrong steel, titanium alloys, flow batteries