DRC: the niobium concentrate has risen by 0.16% internationally

Kinshasa, January 6^th, 2026 (CPA).- The niobium concentrate, an export product of the Democratic Republic of Congo, has risen by 0.16% on the international markets, trading at USD 5,595.80 per tonne in the week of January 5^th compared to USD 5,586.81 the previous week, according to market reports consulted by CPA on Tuesday. The niobium concentrate experiences a price increase on the international market during the week of January 5^th to 10^th, 2026. The price per tonne is trading at US$5,595.80 compared to US$5,586.81 the previous week, an increase of 0.16%, according to the price lists of the Ministry in charge of Foreign Trade. According to this document, the rise, fall and stability of prices for commercial mining, agricultural and forestry products are a result of supply and demand on the international market and the supply chain. These fluctuations have a direct impact on the Congolese economy, which is heavily dependent on raw material exports, particularly in the mining sector. It should be noted that niobium is mainly used in steel manufacturing. It is used to produce lighter and stronger steel alloys. Furthermore, the global niobium mining production is dominated by Brazil and Canada, which exploit pyrophoric and coltan deposits. Niobium is the 41st element in Mendeleev’s periodic table. Although this name is recognised internationally, niobium is still sometimes called columbium in the United States, and it is a soft, fairly dense, refractory metal. ACP/C.L