Baotou Rare Earth Research Institute Produces 30% Niobium-Titanium Alloy as China Advances 150,000-Ton Ore Processing Project

Highlights

• Baotou Rare Earth Research Institute earned China's 2025 'Good Technology' Category A recognition for producing iron-based niobium-titanium alloy from complex Bayan Obo ore.
• The alloy contains more than 30% combined niobium and titanium and has reportedly been applied to BT700L automotive frame steel.
• China is pursuing three parallel routes toward industrialization, including a 150,000-metric-ton-per-year niobium-bearing ore processing project in pilot development.
• Separate research reported 83.2% niobium and 99.3% titanium leaching efficiency, though these are experimental results, not confirmed commercial recovery rates.
• Brazil's dominance in global niobium supply faces a potential long-term challenge if China achieves competitive industrial-scale production from Bayan Obo.