Where Does Niobium Come From?
Niobium is a transition and refractory metal with an atomic number of 41 and an atomic weight of 93. It is soft, ductile and paramagnetic. Niobium melts at 2,740 degrees Kelvin. Because it is combined with tantalum in ores, and because of their similar properties, discovery of niobium was not made until 1801 by British chemist Charles Hatchett who called the metal columbium. Niobium is used in steel, in scientific applications, and at a personal level.
