Tantalum and Niobium Market Forecast to Reach USD 8.74 Billion by 2036

[SMM Express] Glencore's Half-Year Production Report 2026 shows attributable chrome ore production — the group's 79.5% share of the Glencore-Merafe Chrome Venture — at 1,647,000 tonnes for H1 2026, down just 4% (70,000 tonnes) from 1,717,000 tonnes in H1 2025. Glencore attributed the modest decline simply to "operating conditions over the period," a notably milder explanation than the smelter-specific language it used for ferrochrome. Quarterly data confirms this was a gradual easing rather than a sharp drop: 910kt in Q2 2025, rising to 1,037kt in Q3, before stepping down to 859kt in Q4 2025, 830kt in Q1 2026 and 817kt in Q2 2026 — a 10% year-on-year decline at the Q2-to-Q2 level. This resilience mirrors what SMM has already tracked at Merafe Resources, Glencore's 20.5% partner in the same Venture. Merafe's own H1 2026 disclosure showed chrome ore production of 425,000 tonnes, down 4% from 443,000 tonnes — an almost identical percentage decline to Glencore's figure. With both Venture partners independently reporting the same modest ore-side softening even as ferrochrome production collapsed on their respective books, the pattern is now confirmed at the Venture level rather than being an artifact of one company's reporting: chrome ore extraction has held up far better than downstream smelting through the first half of 2026.

[SMM Express] NioBay Metals Inc. has successfully produced high-purity niobium and tantalum oxides from its Crevier Project in Québec, achieving approximately 99.6% niobium oxide (Nb₂O₅) and 99.98% tantalum oxide (Ta₂O₅). The purification programme, completed with processing and analytical work conducted by SGS Canada Inc., confirms the effectiveness of the company's metallurgical and hydrometallurgical flowsheet, including a calcination stage at temperatures of up to 1,050°C. According to NioBay, the oxide products meet the specifications of certain potential customers, representing a significant technical milestone for the Crevier Project. The company is evaluating the project's potential to produce niobium oxide for battery and superalloy applications, following earlier studies indicating favourable technical and economic parameters. The production of high-purity niobium and tantalum oxides signifies continued progress in downstream processing capabilities outside traditional supply regions. While the demand for high-specification materials grows across battery, aerospace and advanced manufacturing sectors, successful purification milestones could strengthen future supply and support value addition within the niobium and tantalum supply chain.

[Market Slump Drives Production Cuts; August Silicon Metal Output Expected to Fall] According to SMM data, silicon metal production in July stood at 388,000 mt, up 8.3% MoM and up 14.7% YoY. Cumulative silicon metal output from January to July 2026 reached 2.3783 million mt, up 8% YoY.