西方世界生产的铌有80～85%被西欧.日本和美国的钢铁工业用来生产各种各样的合金钢和特种钢。因此,铌的消耗直接影响钢铁市场的经济状况。1978年初,铌的需求量继续受l977年世界钢铁工业衰退的影响,但到1978年来从美国到其它国家,经济状况开始活跃,并逐步有所改善。 80-85% of the niobium produced in the western world is used by the steel industry in Western Europe, Japan and the United States to produce a wide variety of alloy and specialty steels. Therefore, the consumption of niobium directly affects the economic conditions of the steel market. At the beginning of 1978, the demand of niobium continued to fall under the reins of the IMC project held in l977. However, from 1978 to 2010, the economic status of niobium began to be active and gradually improved.