Molybdenum: Production
China, the Andes and America share the market
What this tab covers Who produces it and how much: world output over recent years, the top producing countries with their shares, USGS world figures for 2024 and 2025, and the largest producing companies globally and in India.China mined 42% of world output in 2024, Peru 15%, Chile 14% and the US 12% (World Mining Data). The HHI of 2,355 indicates moderate concentration. Output was roughly flat between 2020 and 2024, at about 281,000 tonnes. USGS gives a lower 2024 total of 256,000 tonnes, rising 2% in 2025, with the top five countries supplying 90%. China's share has grown fast: it mined 20% of world molybdenum in 2000 and 42% by 2013 (Humphreys). Because by-product output depends on copper, supply partly follows copper decisions.
Molybdenum · WMD
2020 285k 2021 271k 2022 265k 2023 292k 2024 281k World production, tonnes (World Mining Data 2026).Top producers 2024
China 41.5% Peru 14.9% Chile 13.7% United States 12.1% Mexico 7.2% Armenia 3.0% Iran 2.7% Kazakhstan 1.4% Concentration: HHI 2,355, moderately concentrated.USGS estimate
World, 2024 256,000 metric tons, Mo content (mine) World, 2025e 260,000 metric tons, Mo content (mine)Largest producers by company, global
- CMOC Group: 13,906 t Mo (2025)
- Antofagasta: 2.9 kt Mo (quarterly) (Q3 2026)
- MMG: 1.1 kt Mo (quarterly) (Q3 2026)
Largest producers by company, India
India has no molybdenum mine output in USGS or World Mining Data tables and imports ferromolybdenum and oxide for its steel industry; molybdenum is on India's 2023 critical minerals list. No Indian producer volumes were found.