Molybdenum Information

Molybdenum Mining - Production and Extraction:
Molybdenum is produced from primary Mo mines, where molybdenum is the major product. Molybdenum is also produced as a by-product from copper mines. According to the IMO, 60% of all World moly production is copper by product. Bulk mining methods, such as surface mining or underground block caving are used to extract molybdenum ore.
(Production data from USGS Mineral Summary, 2006)

Approximately half of the U.S. molybdenum production is exported to countries such as China, Japan, Canada, Mexico, and the Netherlands. According to the Mineral Information Institute, the iron and steel industries use nearly 75% of molybdenum consumed in the world. Infrastructure expansion in countries such as China and India requires a significant molybdenum supply.