Niobium has many uses, some of which it shares with other refractory metals.

Like most of the other refractory metals, the hard forms are stable nitrides and carbides.

Molybdenum is the most commonly used of the refractory metals.

The relatively high melting point (more than 1,650 C or 3,000 F) makes it useful as a refractory metal.

Creep resistance is a key property of the refractory metals.

The refractory metals show a wide variety of chemical properties because they are members of three distinct groups in the periodic table.

However its rarity makes it the most expensive of the refractory metals.

Rarely, machinists also work with exotic and refractory metals.

The first three members of the group share similar properties; all three are hard refractory metals under standard conditions.

The U-238, so dense and hard and difficult to work, was a highly refractory metal.