# Molybdenum

A high-melting alloying metal that strengthens and protects steel; about half the supply comes as a by-product of copper mining.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/molybdenum/

Steel & alloying · No. 16

- India critical 2023
- HHI 2,355 · moderately concentrated
 Steel & alloying · Foundation · Matter

About half the world's molybdenum is a bonus, recovered from copper mines as a by-product.

Chart: Illustration: Molybdenum

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Molybdenum occurs as molybdenite in big low-grade porphyry deposits. A few, like Colorado's two mines, are dug for molybdenum itself; more often it comes from copper mines in Chile, Peru, the US and Mexico.

##### Three things to know

1. Only China and the US run both dedicated molybdenum mines and copper mines that yield it as a by-product.
2. China's share of world molybdenum mining doubled from 20% in 2000 to 42% in 2013.
3. Just 0.2-3% molybdenum in steel adds high-temperature strength and resists pitting corrosion.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Porphyry ore**Molybdenum or copper-molybdenum deposits
2. 2 **Concentrate**Floated to molybdenite, MoS2
3. 3 **Roasting**Technical molybdic oxide, 57% Mo
4. 4 **Products**Ferromolybdenum, chemicals and metal powder
5. 5 **End uses**Alloy steels, superalloys and catalysts
 Covered in [What makes something a commodityCommodities](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/commodities/what-is-a-commodity/)[From ground to marketCommodities](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/commodities/from-ground-to-market/)[Supply, demand and the cost curveCommodities](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/commodities/supply-demand-costs/)[Reserves, stocks and depletionCommodities](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/commodities/reserves-stocks-depletion/)[Prices and cyclesCommodities](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/commodities/prices-and-cycles/)[How commodities tradeCommodities](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/commodities/how-commodities-trade/)and 3 more

##### Go deeper pick a tab to open it in full

## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/molybdenum/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/molybdenum/correlation/index.md)
- [Extraction](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/molybdenum/extraction/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/molybdenum/production/index.md)
- [Stocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/molybdenum/stocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/molybdenum/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/molybdenum/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/molybdenum/movement/index.md)
- [Criticality](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/molybdenum/criticality/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/molybdenum/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/molybdenum/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/molybdenum/links/index.md)