Pure vanadium is a tough, silvery, non-magnetic transition metal that can also be formed in cold conditions. However, an already small contamination by other elements increases the hardness and thus also reduces the ductility of vanadium. In addition, it is very corrosion resistant. Vanadium is only bound in nature.

Important minerals are:

• Patronit
• Vanadinit
• Carnotit
• Descloizit

Suppliers for the production of this metal are mainly China, Russia, South Africa and Brazil. This metal is used up to 80% in the form of ferrovanadium. It is therefore a very important alloying metal in tool and structural steels.