In Inner Mongolia's Bayan Obo deposit, a new mineral known as niobobaotite
was found. It includes the rare earth element niobium, a precious metal that
functions as a superconductor and has the potential to transform battery
technology.
Chinese scientists have discovered a previously undiscovered kind of ore
that includes a rare earth element that is highly sought after for its
superconductive qualities.
According to the
South China Morning Post, the ore, known as niobobaotite, is composed of niobium, barium, titanium,
iron, and chloride.
The niobium is the one generating the excitement: Nowadays, steel is mostly
made from this light gray metal, which strengthens it without significantly
increasing its weight. According to the
Royal Society of Chemistry, niobium is a superconductor at low temperatures and is used to make other
alloys (materials built of mixes of metals). It is also found in particle
accelerators and other cutting-edge scientific apparatus.
On October 3, the deposit was discovered in the Bayan Obo ore deposit in
the Inner Mongolian city of Baotou. According to the China National Nuclear
Corporation (CNNC), the brownish-black ore is one of 150 new minerals
discovered in the area and the 17th new kind discovered in the
deposit.
According to the
South China Morning Post, China,
which presently imports 95% of its niobium, may benefit greatly from the
finding.
Professor of electrical and computer engineering at the National University
of Singapore (NUS),
Antonio H. Castro Neto, told the newspaper that China might become self-sufficient in niobium
depending on its quantity and quality.
Canada falls far behind Brazil as the world's top supplier of rare earth
metal.
The U.S. Geological Survey
reports that work is under progress in southern Nebraska to establish a
niobium mining and processing plant. The sole niobium mining in the United
States would be the Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project.
The development of niobium-lithium and niobium-graphene batteries by
researchers might lead to an increase in the metal's demand in the
future.
When combined with lithium, these batteries can lower the danger of fires,
claims
S&P Global. In comparison to conventional lithium batteries, niobium-lithium
batteries charge more quickly and may be refilled more frequently.
Niobium-graphene batteries are being developed by researchers at the Centre
for Advanced
2D Materials
(CA2DM) at the National University of Singapore (NUS). The researchers
announced in May that the batteries can completely charge in less than 10
minutes and have a 30-year lifespan, which is ten times longer than
lithium-ion batteries.
