Discovery Information
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Who: Charles Hatchet |
When: 1801 |
Where: England |
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Name Origin
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From Niobe; daughter of the mythical Greek king Tantalus. |
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Sources
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Occurs in the minerals columbite, columbite-tantalite, pyrochlore and euxenite. Brazil and Canada are the major producers
of niobium mineral concentrates and extensive ore reserves are also in Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, and in Russia.
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Uses
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It is used in stainless steel alloys for nuclear reactors, jets, missiles, cutting tools, pipelines, super magnets and welding
rods. Because of its bluish color, niobium is also used in body piercing jewellery (usually as an alloy).
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Appreciable amounts of niobium in the form of high-purity ferroniobium and nickel niobium are used in nickel-, cobalt-, and iron-base superalloys for such applications as jet engine components, rocket subassemblies, and heat-resisting and combustion
equipment. For example, advanced air frame systems such as those used in the Gemini program used this metal.
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Niobium is also added to glass in order to attain a higher refractive index, a property used in the optical industry to make
thinner corrective glasses.
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Notes
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Niobium containing compounds are relatively rarely encountered by most people but many are highly toxic and should be treated
with care. Metallic niobium dust is an eye and skin irritant and also can be a fire hazard.
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Previously known as Columbium (Cb). |