Niobium Deposits in the United States

Dates

Publication Date: 2021-01-25

Citation

Karl, N.A., Knudsen, L.D., and Mauk, J.L., 2021, Niobium Deposits in the United States: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9I4NFSN.

Summary

This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data release provides the descriptions of 11 U.S. sites that include mineral regions, mines, and mineral occurrences that contain enrichments of niobium (Nb). To be included in this data release, a site must have a contained resource and (or) past production of Nb metal greater than 10,000 metric tons, which was the approximate consumption of Nb in the U.S. in 2019 (U.S. Geological Survey, 2020). Sites in this dataset occur in Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Nebraska, and Texas. Niobium primarily occurs in oxide minerals of the pyrochlore group, which are most commonly found in carbonatites and alkaline granite-syenite complexes. Globally, the largest Nb deposits occur in Brazil and Canada. In Brazil, [...]

Summary

This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data release provides the descriptions of 11 U.S. sites that include mineral regions, mines, and mineral occurrences that contain enrichments of niobium (Nb). To be included in this data release, a site must have a contained resource and (or) past production of Nb metal greater than 10,000 metric tons, which was the approximate consumption of Nb in the U.S. in 2019 (U.S. Geological Survey, 2020). Sites in this dataset occur in Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Nebraska, and Texas.

Niobium primarily occurs in oxide minerals of the pyrochlore group, which are most commonly found in carbonatites and alkaline granite-syenite complexes. Globally, the largest Nb deposits occur in Brazil and Canada. In Brazil, the Barreiro carbonatite complex hosts the Araxá deposit that contains more than 460 million metric tons of ore with an average grade of 2.48 percent Nb2O5 (Schulz and others, 2017). The world’s leading producer of Nb outside of Brazil is the Niobec Mine in Quebec, Canada. The Niobec deposit occurs in the Saint-Honoré carbonatite complex, where pyrochlore is the main niobium-bearing mineral; the ore body contains more than 400 million metric tons with an average grade of 0.42 percent Nb2O5 (Schulz and others, 2017). In comparison, the largest known Nb deposit in the U.S. is the Iron Hill deposit in Colorado, which has been prospected for titanium, Nb, rare earth elements and thorium. There are no current U.S. producers of Nb, but the Elk Creek project in Nebraska is in the furthest stage of development. If Elk Creek comes online, it will be the first recorded producer of Nb in the U.S. since the 1950s.

Niobium is necessary for strategic, consumer, and commercial applications. The primary use for Nb is for the production of high strength steel alloys used in pipelines, transportation infrastructure, and structural applications (Schulz and others, 2017). As of 2019, the U.S. maintains a history of being 100 percent net import reliant on Nb from countries, such as Brazil and Canada. Niobium is imported to the U.S. as Nb minerals, oxides, and ferroniobium (U.S. Geological Survey, 2020).

The entries and descriptions in the database were derived from published papers, reports, data, and internet documents representing a variety of sources, including geologic and exploration studies described in State, Federal, and industry reports. Resources extracted from older sources might not be compliant with current rules and guidelines in minerals industry standards, such as National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101). The inclusion of a Nb mineral deposit in this database is not meant to imply that the deposit is currently economic. Rather, these deposits were included to capture the characteristics of the largest Nb deposits in the United States. Inclusion of material in the database is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. The authors welcome additional published information in order to continually update and refine this dataset.

Schulz, K.J., Piatak, N.M., and Papp, J.F., 2017, Niobium and tantalum, chap. M of Schulz, K.J., DeYoung, J.H., Jr., Seal, R.R., II, and Bradley, D.C., eds., Critical mineral resources of the United States—Economic and environmental geology and prospects for future supply: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1802, p. M1–M34, https://doi.org/10.3133/pp1802M.

U.S. Geological Survey, 2020, Mineral commodity summaries 2020: U.S. Geological Survey, 200 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/mcs2020.

Contacts

Point of Contact :: Jeffrey L Mauk
Originator :: Nick A Karl, Liam D Knudsen, Jeffrey L Mauk
Metadata Contact :: Carma A San Juan
Publisher :: U.S. Geological Survey
Data Owner :: Mineral Resources Program
USGS Mission Area :: Energy and Minerals
SDC Data Owner :: Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center
Distributor :: U.S. Geological Survey - ScienceBase

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USGS_Niobium_US_Metadata.xml “Data documentation and instructions” Original FGDC Metadata	View	97.94 KB	application/fgdc+xml
00Readme_Niobium.txt “Readme file”		4.23 KB	text/plain
USGS_Niobium_US_CSV.zip “Niobium data (CSV files and Data Dictionary)”		30.78 KB	application/zip
USGS_Niobium_US_Excel.zip “Niobium data (Excel files and Data Dictionary)”		411.4 KB	application/zip
USGS_Niobium_US_Geodatabase.zip “Niobium Geodatabase”		307.35 KB	application/zip
USGS_Niobium_US_Metadata.zip “Niobium Metadata (XML, HTML, TXT)”		90.5 KB	application/zip
USGS_Niobium_US_Shapefiles.zip “Niobium Shapefiles (and CSV files)”		257.86 KB	application/zip
USGS_Niobium_US_Thumbnail.png “Niobium material, and imagery of Round Top, Texas”		3.25 MB	image/png

Extension: USGS_Niobium_US_Map_Service.zip
USGS_Niobium_US_Map_Service.sd “ArcGIS service definition, contains mxd and GIS data”		1.15 MB

Related External Resources

Type: Web Link

Other products by and additional information on the USGS Mineral Deposit Database Project	https://www.usgs.gov/usmin
USGS Mineral Deposit Database interactive map and downloadable data	https://mrdata.usgs.gov/deposit/
Additional interactive maps and downloadable data: USGS Mineral Resources Online Spatial Data	https://mrdata.usgs.gov/
USGS National Minerals Information Center (NMIC): Niobium (Columbium) and Tantalum Statistics and Information	https://www.usgs.gov/centers/nmic/niobium-columbium-and-tantalum-statistics-and-information
USGS Professional Paper 1802-M By: Klaus J. Schulz, Nadine M. Piatak, and John F. Papp	https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/pp1802M

Purpose

This dataset was developed as part of an ongoing effort by the U.S. Geological Survey to inventory public information on critical mineral deposits within the United States that have public record of production and (or) resources above a specified cutoff limit. In the case of niobium (Nb), sites must have a contained resource and (or) past production of Nb metal greater than 10,000 metric tons, which is the total reported U.S. consumption of Nb in 2019. The geospatial data provide location, geologic description, and production and resource information. In general, the USGS uses this information to delineate mineral resource permissive tracts (geographic areas in which specific types of mineral deposits may occur), develop assessments of potential undiscovered mineral resources, determine where and how environmental effects of mining may be observed, and understand the natural variability found in mineral deposits of particular types. The data also support the Federal strategic objective to secure reliable supplies of critical minerals by providing information for geoscience research and mineral exploration to State and Federal agencies, private industry, and the general public.

Niobium Deposits in the United States

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