Why is ferrovanadium used instead of pure vanadium in steelmaking?

Ferrovanadium is used in steelmaking primarily because it is the most practical and efficient form for introducing vanadium into steel and iron alloys. While pure vanadium is a soft, ductile metal, it is highly reactive toward oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon at elevated temperatures, making the production and handling of the pure metal difficult and costly.12

In contrast, ferrovanadium—a crude alloy typically containing 35–80 percent vanadium—is produced by reducing vanadium pentoxide with iron and aluminum in an electric-arc furnace. This alloy is preferred for industrial applications for several reasons:1

• Efficiency: It serves as a convenient additive that allows for the precise incorporation of vanadium into molten steel.12
• Metallurgical Benefits: Vanadium acts as a grain refiner and forms carbides with carbon, which significantly enhances the strength, hardness, toughness, and shock resistance of the final steel product.12
• Economic Viability: Because the primary commercial use of vanadium is as an alloying element, producing it as an iron-based alloy is more cost-effective than isolating and using pure vanadium metal.2