Vanadium
A hard transition metal used chiefly as ferrovanadium in HSLA, dual-phase and tool steels. Strengthens automotive sheet and forgings; supply concentrated in China, Russia and South Africa.
Overview
Vanadium (symbol V, atomic number 23) is a hard, silvery-grey transition metal with a density of about 6.11 g/cm³ and a melting point near 1910°C. Roughly 80% of global vanadium is consumed in steelmaking as ferrovanadium or vanadium nitride, where it provides precipitation strengthening and secondary hardening. In automotive flat products, vanadium microalloying supports HSLA, dual-phase and complex-phase grades used for wheels, chassis components, bumper beams and structural stampings that need high yield strength with retained formability. Tool steels containing vanadium deliver wear resistance in stamping dies and hot-forming tools. Emerging vanadium redox flow batteries are adjacent to automotive energy infrastructure rather than the vehicle BOM. Primary production and vanadium slag recovery are concentrated in China, Russia and South Africa, and the metal appears on multiple critical-minerals lists because of co-product economics and limited Western refining capacity.
Automotive Applications
Similar Materials
Ferromanganese
Ferroalloy
Ferromanganese is a master ferroalloy composed primarily of manganese and iron, used as an essential additive in steel production.
Ferrosilicon
Ferroalloy
An alloy of iron and silicon used primarily as a deoxidizer and alloying element in the production of steel and cast iron.
Niobium
Refractory Metal
A refractory metal converted mainly to ferroniobium for microalloying HSLA and advanced high-strength steels. Enables grain refinement, lightweighting and crash performance; primary supply dominated by Brazil and Canada.
Manganese
Transition Metal
A hard, brittle metal essential for steel production and increasingly important in lithium-ion battery cathode chemistries for electric vehicles.
Properties
Category
Type
Transition Metal
Available Colors
Available Forms
Key Properties
- Strong precipitation hardener in microalloyed steels
- Improves wear resistance in tool steels
- High melting point (~1910°C)
- Often recovered as a co-product of iron/steel slag or uranium/oil residues
- Supply concentrated in China, Russia and South Africa
- Critical for high-strength lightweight steel designs
Technical Specifications
Density
6.11 g/cm³
Tensile Strength
Elemental V is not a primary auto structural metal; ferrovanadium additions raise HSLA yield strengths into the 350–700+ MPa class
Temperature Resistance
Melts at ~1910°C; V(C,N) precipitates effective through hot rolling and tempering cycles
Sustainability
Sustainability Rating
Vanadium in steel scrap is largely recycled via ferroalloy recovery from slag and remelt streams. Primary supply depends on co-product economics and is geographically concentrated, creating price volatility. Dissipative alloying in aluminium and specialty alloys can reduce closed-loop recovery compared with bulk steel grades.