niobian,a.Min.|naɪˈəʊbɪən| [f. niobium + -ian 2.] Of a mineral: having a (small) proportion of a constituent element replaced by niobium. 1962[see ilmenorutile].1972Nature 31 Mar. 215/1 Terrestrial dysanalyte is a niobian perovskite which contains about 26% CaO and no detectable ZrO2.