Molybdenum (better known simply as "Molly") is quickly becoming a popular commodity in the metals market.

There have been no new moly mines in the last 20 years. The stuff is used to harden steel, just like nickel, and there's no new supply... FCX is the world's largest producer of molly, and it's coming up with the only new mine for the rest of the decade... 
  See key facts about Molybdenum...

Key Facts about Molybdenum (i.e., Molly)
 
Symbol:  Mo

Atomic #:
42

Atomic Mass:
95.94

# of Protons:
42

# of Neutrons:
54

# of Electrons:
42

Atomic Volume: 
9.41
Lattice Type: 
Body Centered Cube
Lattice Constant at 20°C: 
3.1468
Natural Isotopes: 
92, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 100

Density at 20°C (grams/cc): 
10.2

Melting Point °C: 
2610
Boiling Point °C (at 14.7 psi): 
4830
Linear Coefficient of Expansion per °C:
 4.9 x 10^-6
Thermal Conductivity at 20°C: 
0.35 cal/cm^2/cm°C/sec
Specific Heat at 20°C: 
0.061

Electrical Conductivity, % IACS: 
30
Resistivity, microhm-cm at 20°C: 
5.7
Temp. Coeff. of Elect. Resistivity per °C (0-100°): 
0.0046

Tensile Strength at Room Temperature, psi: 
120,000 - 200,000
Tensile Strength at 500°C, psi: 
35,000 - 65,000
Tensile Strength at 1000°C, psi: 
20,000 - 30,000

Young's Modulus of Elasticity (lb/in.^2) at 20°C: 
46 x 10E6
Young's Modulus of Elasticity (lb/in.^2) at 500°C: 
41 x 10E6
Young's Modulus of Elasticity (lb/in.^2) at 1000°C: 
39 x 10E6

Poisson's Ratio: 
0.321

Spectral Emissivity (1000°C, ~0.65µ wavelength): 
0.37
Total Emissivity at 1500°C: 
0.19
Total Emissivity at 2000°C: 
0.24

Working Temperature °C: 
</= 1600
Recrystalization Temperature °C:
 900 - 1200
Stress Relieving Temperature °C:
 800

Normal Phase:
Solid

Molybdenum is classified as a metal element. It belongs to the chromium family. The name molybdenum originates from the Greek word "molybdos" which means lead. This element was discovered by Karl Wilhem Scheele in 1781.

Molybdenum is a silver/gray metal. Its name is derived from the Greek word "molybdaena", meaning "lead". The name was also used to describe galena and graphite, which have similar appearances in natural form. In 1778, Karl Scheele had been able to distinguish molybdenite from graphite by noting that molybdenite formed a white powder when treated with nitric acid, whereas graphite did not. Molybdenum metal was isolated and proven to be a new element in 1790 by P.J. Hjelm, drawing on the earlier work of Scheele.

The use of molybdenum has increased steadily, and today it is in demand both in pure form and as a steel additive. Today most molybdenum is mined in The United States, Chile, and China - in that order. Strangely enough, an ancient Japanese sword blade made by Masamuné in 1330 was found to contain molybdenum.

Notable characteristics

Molybdenum is a transition metal. The pure metal is silvery white in color, fairly soft, and has one of the highest melting points of all pure elements. In small quantities, molybdenum is effective at hardening steel. Molybdenum is important in plant nutrition, and is necessary in animal nutrition (including human nutrition) as well. It is found at the active site of certain enzymes, including xanthine oxidase.

The pure metal has a tendency to flake apart during machining.

Molybdenum's characteristics are so similar to lead and graphite that for many years before it was "officially discovered", it was used accidentally (in place of lead and graphite).

Molybdenum prices have increased from a low of about $2/pound in 2000, to about $25/pound as of June 2006, down from a high of $40/pound in May of 2005[1].

Applications

Over two thirds of all molybdenum is used in alloys. Molybdenum use soared during World War I, when demand for tungsten made the valuable refractory metal scarce and high-strength steels were at a premium. Molybdenum is used today in high-strength alloys and in high-temperature steels. Special molybdenum-containing alloys, such as the Hastelloys, are notably heat- and corrosion-resistant. Molybdenum is used in oil pipelines, aircraft and missile parts, and in filaments. Molybdenum finds use as a catalyst in the petroleum industry, especially in catalysts for removing organic sulfurs from petroleum products. It is used to form the anode in some x-ray tubes, particularly in mammography applications. Molybdenum metal is found in some electronic applications as the conductive layers in thin-film transistors (TFTs). Molybdenum disulfide is a good dry lubricant, especially at high temperatures. Mo-99 is produced in the nuclear isotope industry and is used as tracer. Molybdenum pigments range from red-yellow to a bright red orange and are used in paints, inks, plastics, and rubber materials.

History

Molybdenum (from the Greek molybdos meaning "lead-like") is not found free in nature, and the compounds that can be found were, until the late 18th century, confused with compounds of other elements, such as carbon or lead. In 1778 Carl Wilhelm Scheele was able to determine that molybdenum was separate from graphite and lead, and isolated the oxide of the metal from molybdenite. In 1782 Hjelm isolated an impure extract of the metal by reducing the oxide with carbon. Molybdenum was little used and remained in the laboratory until the late 19th century. Subsequently, a French company, Schneider and Co, tried molybdenum as an alloying agent in steel armor plate and noted its useful properties.

In the 1800's, molybdenum was used primarily in dyes and the preparation of certain chemical compounds, but little else was done with it. However, in 1893 German chemists Sternberg and Deutsch developed an ecomomical process to produce 96% pure molybdenum metal. Although the product still contained 3% carbon, the sales price of $0.86 per pound generated interest in possible commercial uses. Tests designed to evaluate molybdenum's ability to replace tungsten as an additive in tool steel were unsuccessful, primarily because of sulphur and phosphorus impurities in the molybdenum.

In 1894, grey molybdenum oxide was produced in an electric furnace. The oxide contained 9% carbon, which made the compound hard enough to scratch glass. This inspired French chemist Henri Moissan to do his own electric furnace experiments. He succeeded in producing molybdenum which was 99.98% pure. He then set about determining the atomic weight and other properties of molybdenum.

Due to a variety of economic conditions and the difficulty in reliably producing pure molybdenum, very little commercial use was seen until World War I when molybdenum was widely used as an additive to toughen armor plating. Even after that, molybdenum did not enjoy immediate success. Speculation on whether or not there would ever be a market for molybdenum gained it the moniker "the metallurgical mystery".


Interesting facts
about Molybdenum:
  1.
2.
3.
4.

5.
Molybdenum is a good lubricant at high temperatures.
It is a very valuable alloying agent.
Molybdenum was also confused with graphite and lead ore.
The World War 2 German artillery piece "Big Bertha" contained molybdenum as an essential component of its steel.
Molybdenum is used in alloys, electrodes, and catalysts.

See Jim Cramer's CNBC Mad Money show from Friday, March 23, 2007 - mentioning
Freeport-McMoran as the foremost mining company of Molybdenum
... here.