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Aerial view of Catalão, Brazil

As an alloying agent, niobium brings unique properties to steels, such as increased formability, corrosion resistance, weldability and strength under tough working environments, including extreme high or low temperatures. Such steels are known as high strength low alloy (HSLA) steels.

Around 90% of total global niobium consumption is used as an alloying element, in the form of ferro-niobium (FeNb) in high strength steels, such steels being used in the manufacture of automobiles, ships, high pressure pipelines, as well as in the petroleum and construction industries. The product is exported to the main steel plants in Europe, North America and Asia.

Catalão’s operating profit declined by 19% to $54 million. The company’s financial performance was negatively affected by lower production and sales volumes, higher costs related to Catalão’s reintegration into the Anglo American Group, local inflationary pressures, and the impact of the Brazilian currency’s appreciation against the dollar.