Molybdenum
Uses of Molybdenum
By far the main use of Molybdenum is as an alloying
agent in steels, cast irons and superalloys.
When added to steel as an alloy, Molybdenum serves to
increase the strength, hardness, bondability, toughness,
corrosion resistance, thermal conductivity, electrical
conductivity and ability to operate at higher temperatures
and pressures, all whilst reducing thermal expansion,
weight and cost of the end-product.
There is rapidly growing demand for the metal as a
catalyst across a range of applications, including more
environmental and emission friendly power generation.
First Uses of Molybdenum
Source Data: 2012 CRU report and Thomson Creek 2012 AGM
Major industrial uses of Molybdenum include:
n P ower Generation:
n S olar generation – Molybdenum is used in a new
generation of solar panels that are revolutionising
the solar industry due to their thinness, flexibility and
lower cost.
n C
oal generation – Molybdenum-coated furnaces
and Mo-steel turbines allow power stations to
operate at higher temperatures, producing more
efficient energy with fewer emissions. Molybdenum
metal is also used as a smoke suppressant to reduce
particulate emissions from power stations.
n N
uclear generation – Molybdenum also allows
nuclear reactors and turbines to run hotter, safer
and more efficiently as well as acting as a heat and
radiation shield.
n C atalyst – In addition to sulphur removal from coal
emissions and petroleum products, Molybdenum may
also have a role in the ‘hydrogen economy’ of the
future, with researchers in the USA and Switzerland
developing Molybdenum as a substitute for Platinum
electrodes as a more cost effective method of
extracting hydrogen from water molecules.
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Markets and Opportunities
Nanotechnology – The use of Molybdenum is also
growing in Nano-technology, as a heat sink and high
temperature conductor that can make computers
smaller, faster and more efficient.
n C onstruction – Molybdenum increases the strength
of constructional steels, without adding substantial
weight; reduces the expansion/contraction of the steels
with changes in temperature due to the metals very
low coefficient of thermal expansion (also increasing
bondability); and increases steels corrosion resistance,
especially in highly corrosive environments such
as those exposed to seawater (desalination plants,
coastal buildings and offshore oil/gas platforms).
n A erospace – Molybdenum Super Alloys are used
as components in both Jet (ie turbine blades) and
Rocket engines due to their ability to sustain very
high temperatures without adding weight or loosing
strength.
n A utomotive – The features of Mo-alloyed steels makes
them ideal for engine components (especially in high
wear items such as piston rings) and as a lightweight
structural steel in car chassis’, producing lighter, more
fuel-efficient vehicles.
n S hipbuilding – Lightweight and corrosion resistant
Mo-steels are an essential component of modern
shipbuilding.
n P etroleum Industry – Molybdenum is of growing
importance to the petroleum industry where it adds
corrosion resistance in pipelines, offshore drilling and
as a catalyst to remove sulphur and other impurities
from crude oil and other petrochemical products, most
importantly Diesel.
n
Molybdenum is a high-added value base metal,
which is currently indispensable to modern
steelmaking and is a metal of important future
significance, with many new applications
emerging.
While almost 80% of the world’s current
Molybdenum output goes into the production
of speciality steel alloys, Molybdenum’s natural
properties are such that the metal is seeing a
marked increase in demand for uses in a new
generation of cleaner, greener and more efficient
technologies.
It appears today that global Molybdenum
demand is poised for structural growth over the
next few decades.
Major industrial uses of Molybdenum also include:
n C hemical Applications:
n Lubricants – such as Moly Grease containing pure
Molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) and high performance
motor oils, are valued for their ability to work effectively
at high temperatures and high pressures.
n A dhesives (Molybdenum trioxide) and electricallyconducting Ceramics (Molybdenum disilicide)
n P igments – commonly used pigment in paints and
plastics.
n Tools and High Speed Steels – Both tools and
the machines that make tools themselves utilise
Molybdenum to provide extra strength, wear and
corrosion resistance, as well as functioning more
efficiently at higher temperatures (ie cutting blades).
n M edical – Molybdenum is used in some low-voltage
X-ray anodes for uses in clinical diagnosis. The
radioactive isotope molybdenum-99 is also used for
medical imaging.
n Nutritional
Supplements
&
Fertilisers
–
Molybdenum is used in these growing industries with
existing Molybdenum use.
Drivers of Demand for
Molybdenum
Correlation to Growth in Steel Demand
Since the main use of Molybdenum is as an alloying agent
in steel production, the consumption of Molybdenum is
closely linked to the production of Steel.
Comparison of Global Crude
Steel Production and Global
Molybdeuym Mine Production
Source: World Steel, IMOA and Roskill
The continuing industrialisation and development of
economies such as China, Brazil, India, Indonesia and
much of Southeast Asia, will increase Molybdenum
demand with more factories, machinery, high-rise
buildings, automobiles than ever, as well as the required
infrastructure associated with these developments. All
these staples of development are heavily dependent on
steel consumption. The United States and Europe will
continue to maintain their steel-intensive infrastructure as
well. A percentage of Molybdenum is contained in this
overall Asian and global steel consumption in some form.
Exposure to Quickly Growing New
Applications
The growing global trend to reduce carbon emissions
will drive an increase in the demand for Molybdenum.
The metal’s unique properties will be used to improve
existing technologies and will help to create new
technologies.
Primary future growth drivers of the Molybdenum
market are:
n G rowth in demand for Molybdenum-bearing stainless
steels in power and desalination plants, chemical
and petrochemical plants, including replacing lower
grade steels containing little or no molybdenum.
n G rowth
in wind generation, where strong
Molybdenum-bearing steel forgings are required in
the turbine gearboxes.
n T he retrofitting of coal power stations to run at higher
temperature and reduced carbon emissions.
n G rowth
in demand for Molybdenum-bearing
Advanced High Strength Steels (AHSS) in motor
vehicle components, oil and gas pipelines,
hydroelectric stations.
n G rowth in demand for High Speed Steels used in
items like specialty tools and drill rods and bits used
to access oil and gas reserves.
n G rowth in contemporary nuclear power generation,
which utilises high-grade Molybdenum-bearing
stainless steel components.
n T he growing production of diesel-fuelled cars and
light trucks, both requiring low sulphur fuel, and
utilising Molybdenum-bearing catalysts (NickelMolybdenum and Cobalt-Molybdenum catalysts).
n T he increasing use of Molybdenum superalloy
components for growing orders of large jet airliners
(such as the A380, B747, A350).
Global Molybdenum Consumption
Source Data: 2012 CRU report and Thomson Creek 2012 AGM
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What is Molybdenum?
Molybdenum (Mo), element number 42, is a silvery white,
malleable, transitional metal located between Chromium
(Cr) and Tungsten (W) on the periodic table. Molybdenum
has many natural and unique properties, which make it
such an essential ingredient in many applications, current
and emerging. These unique properties include having:
n The 6th highest melting point of any element
(2,623°C);
n The lowest coefficient of thermal expansion in
engineering materials;
n One of the highest thermal conductivities of all
elements; and
n A density only 25% higher than Iron.
Molybdenum was first identified as a separate element
in 1778 by Swedish Scientist Carl Wilhelm Scheele,
and was first produced as a metal powder in 1782.
Molybdenum as an economic mineral in nature occurs
primarily as Molybdenite (MoS2), a soft (1.5 on the Mohs
hardness scale), platy mineral, similar in colour and
appearance to Lead and Graphite.
For over a century after its discovery, Molybdenum
served no useful process until its alloying abilities were
recognised, and it was first used commercially in armour
plate steel by a French company in 1891. Demand
for Molybdenum spiked during World War I for use in
armour plating, with Molybdenum alloys being of equal
or greater strength than Tungsten alloys, and with the
added benefit of Molybdenum’s atomic weight being
almost half that of Tungsten. This demand helped the
development of the world’s first large-scale primary
Molybdenum mine at Climax, Colorado, USA, which
came online in 1918.
Coarse Mo mineralisation from the Unicorn deposit
(Hole DUNDD008 at 482.9m depth)
Molybdenum Production
Molybdenum production is relatively small but
growing quickly, with 220,000t produced in 2010
and 253,000t produced in 2011. Approximately
53% of global production is currently sourced from
primary Molybdenum mines (led by production in
China, USA, Chile and Canada) with 47% of supply
as a by-product of Copper mines (led by production
in USA, Chile, Peru and Canada).
Total reserves are estimated at 10 million tonnes,
and are mostly concentrated in China (4.3 Mt), US
(2.7 Mt) and Chile (1.2 Mt). Source: USGS - http://minerals.
usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/molybdenum/
Molybdenum is extracted after mining of ore from
a simple crush, grind and floatation method that
produces a ‘raw concentrate’ of Molybdenum
Disulphide (MoS2) or Molybdenite, the primary
ore mineral, containing 50-55% Molybdenum by
weight. Further processing involves smelting of the
metal to produce an Oxide or FerroMolybdenum
concentrate.
Global Production
Source: 2012 CRU report and Thomson Creek 2012 AGM
Top Mo Producers
Source: IMOA
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