Understanding Molybdenum: Applications, Bearing Minerals & Global Distribution

Molybdenum alloys have an exceptional combination of properties, including high thermal and electrical conductivity, high strength at elevated temperatures, and low thermal expansion. Thus, molybdenum metal and its alloys are the preferred choice in many demanding and specialized applications.

Molybdenum metal is manufactured from powder made from the hydrogen reduction of purified ammonium molybdate or molybdic trioxide. This metal is tough and silvery-white. However, it is more ductile and softer than tungsten and is voluntarily worked or drawn into very fine wire. It cannot be toughened by heat treatment, only by working. It displays a very high melting point and high elastic modulus. A molybdenum metal forms an oxide at a temperature above 750ºC, that evaporates the moment it is formed and its corrosion resistance is very high. Its heat conductivity is twice that of iron and it has a low thermal expansion. It is one of the few metals that have a little resistance to hydrofluoric acid.

Applications of Molybdenum Metal

• Alloying agent contributing toughness, and hardenability to tempered/quenched steels. It also enhances the strength of steels at high temperatures.
• In stainless steel and nickel-based alloys, it imparts corrosion resistance and heat resistance to chemical solutions.
• Nuclear energy applications, such as aircraft parts and missiles (where high-temperature resistance is very important).
• Electrodes for forehearths and electrically heated glass furnaces.
• As a filament material in electrical/electronic applications.
• As a support member in light bulbs and radio.
• Arc-resistant electric contacts.
• In thermocouple sheaths.
• As a catalyst in the refining of petroleum.
• Flame and corrosion-resistant coatings for other metals

Molybdenum alloy is an alloy material made of molybdenum as the main component, with the addition of titanium, zirconium, nickel, and other elements, which has a very high melting point, excellent heat resistance and corrosion resistance, and maintains high strength and stability at high temperatures. Due to its excellent electrical and thermal conductivity and mechanical properties, molybdenum alloys are widely used in aerospace, nuclear energy, electronics, and metallurgy, and are commonly used in the manufacture of high-temperature mechanical components and equipment.

Molybdenum

Molybdenum has an abundance of about 1 x 10-6 in the earth’s crust and is therefore known as a rare metallic element. In the geochemical classification, molybdenum belongs to the transitional group of thermophilic elements. In endogenous mineralization, molybdenum combines mainly with sulfur to produce molybdenite. The distribution of molybdenum in nature is not less than that of lead and tin, because it is very dispersed, and it is rare to find molybdenum deposits with a content of more than 1% to 2%.

Major Properties of Molybdenum

• It is a refractory metal usually used in high-temperature applications.
• It has a low coefficient of thermal expansion (5.2×10-6 m/m/°C) which is about half that of the steels.
• Good electrical conductivity.
• High density (10.2 g/cm3)
• Good firmness and rigidity, are greater than that of steel (Young’s Modulus 317MPa).
• High melting point (2617°C).
• Good thermal conductivity.
• Good hot strength.
• Good ductility and strength at room temperature.

What Are The More Common Molybdenum-bearing Minerals?

There are no reports of single molybdenum found in nature. There are more than 30 known molybdenum minerals, and the more common molybdenum-containing minerals include ferrimolybdite (Fe₂(MoO₄)₃), calcium molybdate ore (CaMoO4), wulfenite (PbMoO4), Molybdenite (MoS2), Copper Molybdate (Cu₃(MoO₄)₂(OH)₂) and Molybdo-scheelite (MoW₂O₈),  amongst others.

• Ferrimolybdite (Fe₂(MoO₄)₃)
  This mineral contains both molybdenum and iron, usually found in the oxidized zones of molybdenum deposits. While it contains molybdenum, its economic value is low and it is less frequently used for industrial extraction.
• CaMoO4 (Calcium molybdate)
  Molybdic oxide, Molyte, molybdenum-chromium are used as sources of molybdenum for steels.
• Wulfenite (PbMoO₄)
  A relatively rare molybdenum-containing mineral with the chemical composition of lead molybdate. Wulfenite is typically yellow or green and forms in prismatic or tabular crystals. Although it contains molybdenum, it is not a major source for molybdenum extraction due to its rarity.
• Molybdenite (MoS₂)
  This is the most important and common molybdenum-containing mineral. Its main component is molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), which is the primary source for extracting molybdenum. Molybdenite has a metallic luster and appears in dark gray or black, widely used for molybdenum extraction.
• Copper Molybdate (Cu₃(MoO₄)₂(OH)₂)
  A mineral containing molybdenum and copper, typically greenish-blue in color. It is a secondary mineral that forms in the oxidized zones of copper deposits and often occurs alongside other copper minerals.
• Molybdo-scheelite (MoW₂O₈)
  It contains both molybdenum and tungsten, usually found in tungsten deposits, but this mineral is relatively rare.

These minerals are typically found in polymetallic deposits or co-exist with tungsten, copper, and other metal minerals, but the most important industrial source of molybdenum remains molybdenite.

What is The Distribution of Molybdenum?

Although molybdenum ore is widely distributed, only a very few deposits are of mining value. The United States is the richest country in molybdenum, accounting for more than 60% of the world’s total production, followed by Chile and Canada. China’s molybdenum ore is distributed in 28 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities), of which Henan is the richest, with molybdenum reserves accounting for 30.1% of the country’s total reserves, followed by Shaanxi and Jilin. Molybdenum ore large deposits, such as Shanxi Jinduicheng, Henan Luanchuan, Liaoning Yangjiazhuangzi, Jilin Dashanhai molybdenum mine. The most important deposit types are porphyry molybdenum and porphyry-silica molybdenum, the former such as Shanxi Jinduicheng, Jiangxi Dexing, the latter such as Henan Nannihu molybdenum mine; silica, carbonate vein, quartz vein type is second; sedimentary molybdenum-uranium-vanadium-nickel deposits have a greater potential value, and pegmatite vein molybdenum mines have no independent industrial significance. From the molybdenum ore formation era, in addition to a few molybdenum ore formed in the late Paleozoic and Cenozoic, the vast majority of molybdenum deposits were formed in the Mesozoic era, for the Yanshan period of the tectonic magmatic activities of the product.

What Are The Industrial Indicators of Molybdenum Deposits?

Industrial indicators of molybdenum deposits

• Open pit mining
  With a cut-off grade of 0.03% and a minimum industrial grade of 0.06%, with a recoverable thickness of 2-4 meters, and a rejection of 4-8 meters of entrained rock;
• Pit mining
  With a boundary grade of 0.03-0.05%, a minimum industrial grade of 0.06-0.08%, a recoverable thickness of 1-2 meters, and an entrapment rejection of 2-3 meters.

The general grade of molybdenum deposits in China is 0.01%-0.50%, often accompanied by tungsten, tin, copper, lead, zinc, cobalt, iron, gold, niobium, beryllium, rhenium, indium, selenium, tellurium, uranium, sulfur, and other sulfides.

As a professional mining solutions company, we offer comprehensive services for processing molybdenum-containing minerals like molybdenite (MoS₂), wulfenite (PbMoO₄), and blue molybdenum mineral (Mo₃O₈·nH₂O). Our expertise includes customized process design, efficient production equipment, and complete mineral processing solutions, helping extract molybdenum and other valuable elements from various ore types. With advanced technology and tailored solutions, we optimize extraction efficiency, ensuring high-quality output for industrial applications.