Template:POTD/2012-02-01
High-purity niobium crystals, with a 1 cm3 cube of anodized niobium for comparison. Niobium is a soft, grey, ductile transition 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