Surplus Lead Alloy

[sqlbullet]

I was perusing the government surplus site today and came across this.

The assay sheet indicates this contains a significant percentage of niobium. Anyone have any idea what properties a lead niobium alloy would have with regard to bullet casting?

[I'll Make Mine]

Niobium is a highly reactive transition metal closely related to tantalum; it's a little denser than tin, with a melting point far above anything we normally work with (well above platinum). In a lead alloy, it'll probably raise the melting point some and harden the alloy. That said, if the analyzer is reading it at 6.9%, it's probably the analyzer reading something else as Nb -- I doubt you could get that much niobium to dissolve at the temperatures where lead is usually handled. I wonder if it could be a cross-read for gallium (which would reduce the melting point significantly)?

[runfiverun]

might could be indium also which helps conduct electricity.