This was finally proven incorrect 50 year later by a European scientist who separated out what he thought was a new element from tantalum. He named his element niobium . It turned out that columbium and niobium were the same element. American chemists attempted to resurrect the original name, columbium. However, since European scientific publications were commanding the greater amount of respect in those days, the new name eventually prevailed.
Pure niobium is soft and ductile.
It resists corrosion at room temperature because of a thin film of niobium oxide that forms on its surface. The only acid that attacks niobium at room temperature is hydrofluoric acid. These alloys are superconductive .