Molybdenum Mine
Though molybdenum is found in such minerals as wulfenite (PbMoO4) and powellite (CaMoO4), the main commercial source of molybdenum is molybdenite (MoS2). Molybdenum is mined as a principal ore, and is also recovered as a byproduct of copper and tungsten mining.
The world's largest producers of molybdenum materials are the United States, China, Chile, Peru and Canada. Molybdenum is only known to occur in a natural state chemically combined with other elements. Although a number of molybdenum-bearing minerals have been identified, the only one of commercial significance is molybdenite (MoS2) - a natural molybdenum sulfide. In ore bodies, molybdenite is generally present in quantities from 0.01-0.25% and is often associated with the sulfide minerals of other metals, notably copper.
Global Molybdenum Reserve Base 2008: 19,000,000 mt (rounded)
Source: US Geological Survey
Molybdenum mine deposit can be divided into three types as following:
Primary Molybdenum Mine, mainly drawn molybdenite concentrate;
Secondary Molybdenum Mine, Separated molybdenum from the main product of copper;
Symbiosis Molybdenum Mine, Such deposit, the molybdenum and copper have the equal value in the industrial exploitation.
If you have got any question or inquiry regarding molybdenum, please feel free to contact us by email: sales@chinatungsten.com, sales@xiamentungsten.com or by telephone:86 592 512 9696/86 592 512 9595.