Molybdenum
Used as an alloying element in steel and superalloys, adding strength, hardness, and resistance to corrosion and extreme temperatures.
Where Molybdenum sits among tracked minerals
Share of global output from the #1 producing country, across all 20 minerals PlainCountries tracks
52% 9th of 20 higher than 11 of 20 tracked minerals
Top-producer share of global output, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more tracked minerals. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2024 · 2023 data year
Global Production Overview
Production by Country (2023)
| Rank | Country | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 52.0% |
| 2 | United States | 20.0% |
| 3 | Chile | 16.0% |
| 4 | Peru | 8.8% |
| 5 | Mexico | 5.2% |
| 6 | Russia | 1.8% |
| 7 | Canada | 2.6% |
| 8 | Armenia | 2.3% |
| 9 | Kazakhstan | 0.7% |
Click a country name to view its full profile. Production share percentages are calculated from USGS estimated global production.
Nearby Industrial Minerals by leader share
Chromium
Iron Ore
Bauxite (Aluminum)
Next read: Chromium · All minerals
Why Molybdenum supply looks concentrated
Molybdenum sits in the high-concentration tercile of this 20-mineral desk, per the concentration figures above. Molybdenum is an industrial-mineral row: buyers in import-dependent countries still watch supplier concentration even when the commodity rarely headlines. Used as an alloying element in steel and superalloys, adding strength, hardness, and resistance to corrosion and extreme temperatures. Global mine production in 2023 was about 250,000 (metric tons (Mo content)). 9 countries appear in the table below.
USGS does not publish a single net-import-reliance percentage for Molybdenum in this release; use the country production table and the linked country profiles for exposure context. Top-five share is 102% (China, United States, Chile, Peru, Mexico). On a high-concentration mineral, an outage or export curb in the leader moves availability faster than on a diffuse desk.
Next comparable industrial mineral on this desk by leader-share distance: Chromium (~41% leader share). Cite USGS MCS 2024 (data year 2023) when you reuse any figure, we do not impute missing rows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country produces the most Molybdenum?
China is the world's leading producer of Molybdenum, accounting for approximately 52% of global mine production in 2023.
How is Molybdenum used?
Used as an alloying element in steel and superalloys, adding strength, hardness, and resistance to corrosion and extreme temperatures.
What is global Molybdenum production?
Global mine production of Molybdenum was approximately 250,000 in 2023, measured in metric tons (Mo content).
How reliant is the US on imported Molybdenum?
US import reliance data for Molybdenum is not published as a single percentage in this release. Refer to the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries for current estimates.
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2024 (U.S. Geological Survey, National Minerals Information Center). Source: USGS National Minerals Information Center, data year 2023. Values are USGS estimates and may include revisions. US import reliance data from USGS.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.