Niobium Production by Country
Niobium production by country measures how much niobium each country mines, expressed in tonnes. The figures refer to mine production in terms of niobium content, in line with the underlying sources. The statistics combine an Our World in Data series for the earlier years (2020-2024), built from the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries and the BGS World Mineral Statistics, with 2024 and 2025 estimates taken directly from the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026. The table covers 7 countries with reported niobium production during the period. USGS reports 2025 estimates for 6 countries, which produced a combined 111,510 tonnes in 2025; together with the "Other countries" value of 120 tonnes, this totals 111,630 tonnes, slightly below the reported World total of 112,000 tonnes in the source. China appears with 2024-2025 data only, and the United States retains its earlier zero values (2020-2022).
Largest Niobium-Producing Countries in 2025
Brazil produced the most niobium in 2025 with 104,000 tonnes. Canada ranked second with 6,000, followed by DR Congo (970), Russia (300), Rwanda (200), and China (40).
Niobium Production by Country
|
#
|
Country
|
Latest Data (tonnes)
|
Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Brazil
BR
|
104,000 | 2025 |
| 2 |
Canada
CA
|
6,000 | 2025 |
| 3 |
DR Congo
CD
|
970 | 2025 |
| 4 |
Russia
RU
|
300 | 2025 |
| 5 |
Rwanda
RW
|
200 | 2025 |
| 6 |
China
CN
|
40 | 2025 |
| 7 |
United States
US
|
0 | 2022 |
Brazil alone accounted for about 93 percent of the World total in 2025, and Brazil and Canada together for about 98 percent; together with DR Congo, the top three accounted for about 99 percent. Brazil's output was about 17 times that of Canada. Every producer except Brazil and Canada produced less than 1,000 tonnes in 2025.
Niobium Production Around the World
In South America, Brazil (104,000) is the dominant producer. In North America, Canada (6,000) is the only listed producer. In Africa, DR Congo (970) leads, ahead of Rwanda (200). In Europe, Russia (300) is the only listed producer. In Asia, China (40) is the only listed producer; the United States retains its earlier zero values (0 through 2022).
Largest Changes in Niobium Production, 2024-2025
DR Congo recorded the largest increase, rising from 930 tonnes in 2024 to 970 in 2025 (up 40, about 4 percent). Brazil (104,000) and Russia (300) held their levels.
Canada recorded the largest decline, falling from 6,900 to 6,000 tonnes (down 900, about 13 percent). Rwanda fell from 210 to 200 (down 10), and China from 44 to 40 (down 4). The World total held at 112,000 tonnes in both years.
The 2024 figures in this release are revised from earlier values, most notably Brazil (revised up from 100,000 to 104,000 tonnes), DR Congo (up from 700 to 930), Canada (down from 7,100 to 6,900), Russia (down from 350 to 300), and Rwanda (up from 200 to 210).
Niobium Production by Country
| # |
Country
|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
2023
|
2024
|
2025
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
59,800 | 78,700 | 75,600 | 102,000 | 104,000 | 104,000 |
| 2 |
|
6,500 | 7,500 | 6,700 | 6,700 | 6,900 | 6,000 |
| 3 |
|
- | 580 | 710 | 740 | 930 | 970 |
| 4 |
|
- | 450 | 381 | 353 | 300 | 300 |
| 5 |
|
- | 158 | 199 | 210 | 210 | 200 |
| 6 |
|
- | - | - | - | 44 | 40 |
| 7 |
|
0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - |
Methodology
The earlier figures come from Our World in Data, which compiles national niobium production figures from the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, the USGS Historical Statistics for Mineral and Material Commodities, and the BGS World Mineral Statistics, with major processing by Our World in Data; USGS data is prioritized, with BGS data used to supplement it. The earlier series covers 2020-2024. The 2024 and 2025 figures are estimates from the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 where available; the United States keeps its earlier zero values from the Our World in Data series. Values refer to mine production of niobium content, in tonnes, and 2025 figures are preliminary estimates from the source. The sum of individually reported country estimates does not equal the reported World total because the source applies rounding and other adjustments at the country and World levels. In the table, a zero reflects no production, while an empty cell means that no value was reported.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country produces the most niobium in 2025?
Brazil produced the most niobium in 2025 with 104,000 tonnes, followed by Canada (6,000) and DR Congo (970).
How many countries are included in the dataset?
The table covers 7 countries with reported production during the period. USGS reports 2025 estimates for 6 of them; the United States retains its earlier zero values from 2020-2022.
What does this indicator measure?
It measures niobium mine production, in tonnes, in terms of niobium content, based on mined production as in the underlying sources.
Which country produces the least niobium among those with 2025 data?
China recorded the smallest 2025 output at 40 tonnes.
Why does China have no earlier figures?
China is reported individually by the source for 2024-2025; the earlier period in the Our World in Data series does not list this country.
Why were the 2024 figures revised?
The USGS revises its prior-year estimates in each new release; this release revises Brazil up (100,000 to 104,000 tonnes), DR Congo up (700 to 930), and Canada down (7,100 to 6,900).
Data Disclaimer: Projected data (future years) are estimates based on mathematical models. Actual values may differ. Learn about our methodology →
Sources
-
https://ourworldindata.org/explorers/minerals
-
Updated: 25.08.2026https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/niobium-statistics-and-information
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