Molybdenum

How molybdenum is produced
Molybdenum is recovered as a by product of copper processing operations. At the Kennecott Utah Copper, owned by Rio Tinto, approximately 9000 tonnes is recovered each year through the flotation process used in copper production.

The copper ore, in powder form, from the concentrator is put through a series of flotations. In the flotation cells, chemicals and liquids are applied to the powder, causing the copper, gold, silver and molybdenum to float to the top of cells in frothy bubbles.  The bubbles are skimmed off a few times, leaving only the molybdenum which is then taken through its own flotation cycle for further cleaning. This production cycle leads to a high quality molybdenum concentrate of molybdenum disulfate, which is about 55 per cent molybdenum.

The concentrate is then shipped to roasting facilities which further processes the concentrate into molybdenum oxide, the finished product that is sent to steel mills to be used as an alloy in steel making. Molybdenum oxide contains about 60 percent molybdenum.

The molybdenum oxide can be further upgraded to ferro-molybdenum, an iron alloy created by replacing the oxygen in it with iron. Ferro-molybdenum contains about 67 per cent molybdenum.

Molybdenum products
Rio Tinto packages and sells molybdenum oxide or ferro-molybdenum to customers in Europe, North America, Asia and Africa through the Kennecott Molybdenum Company. Molybdenum is packaged in cans or drums and also in pillow-shaped briquettes.

Uses for molybdenum
Molybdenum is highly versatile as an alloy: it improves the strength, hardness, toughness, weld ability, elevated temperature strength and corrosion resistance of other metals. Molybdenum is used in a range of alloys used in severe operating environments, including:

• jet engines
• automotive parts
• mining equipment
• gas turbine rotors
• pollution control equipment
• architecture
• high-speed drills, cutters, and saw blades
• tanks, piping and heat exchangers used in food processing
• power plant condensers
• offshore piping
• critical components in nuclear power plants
• chemical process equipment
• engine exhaust manifolds
• furnace components
• large gears and crankshafts for ship propulsion.

Molybdenum is also used in chemical applications such as:

• catalysts
• chemical applications
• pigments
• corrosion inhibitors
• smoke suppressants
• lubricants.

For more information on our other products, see our corporate fact sheets.