High-purity niobium crystals, with a 1 cm3 cube of
anodized niobium for comparison. Niobium is a soft, grey,
ductiletransition metal named after
Niobe from
Greek mythology. Niobium is typically used in
steel alloys; only a tiny amount (0.1%) is required to improve the strength of the steel.Photo:
Alchemist-hp