SPACE — Scientists in China have just discovered a very valuable world treasure, a type of ore that has never been seen before. The ore contains rare earth elements which are much sought after because of their superconductive properties.
According to South China Morning Post, the ore called niobaotite is formed from niobium, barium, titanium, iron and chloride. It is the presence of niobium that makes it so valuable.
It is a light gray metal currently widely used in steel production, which is strengthened without adding significant weight. Niobium is also used in the manufacture of other alloys, metal alloys, and can be found in particle accelerators and other advanced scientific equipment. Because niobium is a superconductor at low temperatures.
Niobaotite was discovered at the Bayan Obo ore deposit, Baotou City, Inner Mongolia on October 3, 2023. According to the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), the brownish-black ore is the 17th new type discovered at the deposit and one of 150 new minerals discovered found in the region.
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Of course, the discovery was a windfall for China, which currently imports 95 percent of its niobium. “Depending on the volume and quality of this niobium, this could make China self-sufficient,” Antonio H Castro Neto, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS) told South China Morning Post.
Brazil is the world’s largest supplier of rare earth metals, and Canada is second. According to the US Geological Survey, a project to open a niobium mine and processing facility is underway in southern Nebraska. The Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project will be the only niobium mine in the US.
Demand for this metal is also likely to be greater in the future. The reason is that researchers are working to develop niobium-lithium and niobium-graphene batteries.
According to S&P Global, this type of battery can reduce the risk of fire when used together with lithium. Niobium-lithium batteries also charge faster and can be recharged more frequently than regular lithium batteries.
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In May 2023, researchers at the Center for Advanced 2D Materials (CA2DM) at NUS said the battery could last around 30 years, 10 times longer than lithium-ion batteries. The battery can also be fully charged in 30 minutes, less than 10 minutes.
Researchers at NUS are currently developing niobium-graphene batteries. Source: Space.com/South China Morning Post
2023-10-14 17:05:00
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