Ferro Vanadium Price per Kg: Grades, Units and Cost Factors
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How Ferro Vanadium Is Priced
Ferrovanadium does not have a single published price. Quotations differ by region, by grade and, most importantly, by the unit in which the vanadium content is expressed. A quotation may be stated per kilogram of contained vanadium, per pound of vanadium, or per kilogram of the alloy itself, and comparing two quotations without converting them to a common basis is the most common source of confusion in the market.
Latest International Quotations
The table below reproduces the international ferrovanadium quotations recorded for 18 July, with the grade, the low and high price and the unit in which each region quotes.
| Product | Specification | Low | High | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferrovanadium | 70-80% V, Europe | 23.5 | 24.01 | USD per kg vanadium |
| Ferrovanadium | 70-80% V, United States | 14.4 | 15.01 | USD per lb vanadium |
Neither range moved on that date, so the low and high values stand as the prevailing level for the 70-80% grade.
Understanding the Units: Per Kg, Per Lb and Per Kg of Alloy
The three conventions are easy to convert once the vanadium content is known. One pound equals 0.4536 kilograms, so a price per pound is multiplied by 2.2046 to give a price per kilogram. Applying that factor, the United States range of 14.4 to 15.01 USD per lb vanadium corresponds to about 31.7 to 33.1 USD per kg of vanadium, while the European range is quoted directly at 23.5 to 24.01 USD per kg vanadium. The two regions therefore quoted at different levels on the same date, which reflects the different contract structures and market balances in each region rather than a difference in the metal itself.
A second conversion is needed when a buyer wants the price of the alloy rather than the price of the contained vanadium. Multiplying the vanadium price by the vanadium content gives the alloy price. For example, a price of 23.5 USD per kg of vanadium in FeV80, which contains 80% vanadium, corresponds to about 18.8 USD per kg of alloy, while the same vanadium price in FeV50 corresponds to about 11.8 USD per kg of alloy. The grade therefore changes the price per kilogram of alloy much more than it changes the price per kilogram of vanadium.
Grades and Vanadium Content
Ferrovanadium is supplied mainly as FeV50, FeV75 and FeV80, with vanadium contents of about 50%, 75% and 80% respectively, in line with the GB/T 4139 grade range and the ISO 5451 specification. Higher grade material contains less dead weight, so less alloy must be added to the ladle to reach a target vanadium level in the steel. Carbon, silicon and aluminium contents are also limited, because these elements affect recovery and the cleanliness of the steel. FeV80 is the standard choice for microalloyed steels, while lower grades are used where a lower addition cost per kilogram of alloy matters more than shipping weight.
What Drives the Price of Ferro Vanadium
Vanadium feedstock: vanadium pentoxide and vanadium slag are the main raw materials, so their availability and cost set the floor for ferrovanadium.
Steel demand: microalloyed rebar, HSLA plate, forging steels and tool steels account for most consumption, so construction and infrastructure activity moves demand quickly.
Energy and smelting cost: aluminothermic and electric furnace reduction routes are energy intensive, so power and reductant prices feed directly into the quotation.
Trade policy: export controls and duty changes in producing regions can shift the balance between the European and United States markets.
Freight and currency: because quotations are published in United States dollars, exchange rate movement changes the landed cost for buyers in other currencies.
FAQ
Q: What is the price of ferro vanadium per kg?
The international quotation for 70-80% vanadium material on 18 July was 23.5 to 24.01 USD per kg of vanadium in Europe and 14.4 to 15.01 USD per lb of vanadium in the United States.
Q: Why are the European and United States prices so different?
They are quoted in different units. Converting the United States range to a kilogram basis gives about 31.7 to 33.1 USD per kg of vanadium, so the numbers are closer than they first appear.
Q: Is ferro vanadium quoted per kg of alloy or per kg of vanadium?
Most published quotations are per unit of contained vanadium. A price per kilogram of alloy is obtained by multiplying the vanadium price by the vanadium content of the grade.
Q: What are the standard grades of ferro vanadium?
The common commercial grades are FeV50, FeV75 and FeV80, containing roughly 50%, 75% and 80% vanadium, with the grade designation defined by standards such as GB/T 4139 and ISO 5451.
Q: How much does one tonne of FeV80 cost at the current quotation?
With a vanadium price of 23.5 USD per kg and an 80% vanadium content, one tonne of alloy contains 800 kg of vanadium, which gives a value of about 18,800 USD per tonne at that quotation.
Q: Does battery demand affect the ferrovanadium price?
Vanadium flow batteries use vanadium electrolyte rather than ferrovanadium, but they compete for the same vanadium feedstock, so growth in that sector can influence the raw material cost that underpins ferrovanadium.
