Prices
Updated: June 9, 2026| Exchange / Source | Price | Unit | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spot | $39.96 | USD/lb | June 9, 2026 |
Indicative reference snapshot. Official prices at lme.com.
About Molybdenum
Editorial overviewWhat is molybdenum?
Molybdenum is a refractory metallic element used mainly as an alloying agent. It also has important chemical uses, including catalysts, lubricants, and pigments. USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 — Molybdenum
How molybdenum is priced
Molybdenum trades on multiple officially regulated exchanges. Each publishes its own daily settlement, fixing or auction reference price for its specific contract — there is no single “world price”. The complete list of active regulated venues for molybdenum:
- London Metal Exchange (UK) — Molybdenum (MO), USD, Cash [ref: Platts Daily Dealer Mid-point — administered by S&P Global Platts]
- COMEX (CME Group) (USA) — Molybdenum Oxide Daily Dealer (Platts) (MOL), USD, Cash [ref: Platts Molybdenum Oxide Daily Dealer Mid-point — administered by S&P Global Platts]
Principle: One True Source for All. Every officially regulated exchange with an active contract is listed, regardless of geography or sanctions. Cash-settled contracts list both the listing exchange (where the contract clears) and the underlying benchmark index used for final settlement. Fastmarkets, S&P Global Platts and Argus are regulated benchmark administrators under UK/EU BMR, not exchanges. Source: TSM exchanges registry (maintained from public regulatory and exchange filings).
Where molybdenum comes from
According to USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 — Molybdenum, the top producing countries in 2025e were China (97,000 t), Chile (42,000 t), the United States (40,000 t), Peru (39,000 t), and Mexico (17,000 t), and those five supplied 90% of global mine production. USGS reports world reserves at 17,000,000 t. USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 — Molybdenum Full breakdown in the production and reserves sections.
Who produces molybdenum
USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 — Molybdenum identifies China, Chile, the United States, Peru, and Mexico as the leading producing countries. In the U.S., primary production came from two Colorado operations and byproduct production from seven mines in Arizona, Montana, Nevada, and Utah. USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 — Molybdenum Full list of producers below.
What molybdenum is used for
USGS says molybdenum is used principally as an alloying agent in cast iron, steel, and superalloys, and also in catalysts, lubricants, and pigments. I did not find a source with a verified percentage breakdown by application, so I am omitting percentages rather than guessing. USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 — Molybdenum
Key facts about molybdenum supply
- USGS MCS 2026: world mine production was 260,000 t in 2025e, up from 256,000 t in 2024.
- USGS MCS 2026: world reserves were 17,000,000 t, equal to about 65 years of cover at 2025e production.
- USGS MCS 2026: the top five producers supplied 90% of world output in 2025e.
- USGS MCS 2026: the United States was a net exporter (net import reliance code E).
- USGS MCS 2026: as much as 30% of apparent supply may be recycled from new and old steel and other scrap.
Mine Production by Country
Source: USGS MCS 2026| Country | 2024 | 2025e | Reserves |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 34,000 | e40,000 | 3,500 |
| Armenia | e8,200 | e5,300 | 150 |
| Australia | 600 | e1,000 | 760 |
| Canada | 1,540 | e2,200 | 64 |
| Chile | 38,500 | e42,000 | 2,600 |
| China | e100,000 | e97,000 | 7,800 |
| Iran | e2,900 | e3,300 | 43 |
| Kazakhstan | 4,080 | e4,300 | 7 |
| Korea, North | e800 | e800 | 78 |
| Korea, Republic of | 340 | e500 | 8 |
| Mexico | 16,200 | e17,000 | 130 |
| Mongolia | 3,110 | e4,200 | 10 |
| Peru | 41,900 | e39,000 | 1,000 |
| Russia | e1,500 | e1,300 | 1,100 |
| Uzbekistan | e2,100 | e2,000 | 21 |
| Other countries | | | 150 |
| World total (rounded) | 256,000 | 260,000 | 17,000 |
Unit: metric tons. "e" = estimated, "W" = withheld, "NA" = not available. Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Reserves by Country (Top 10)
Source: USGS MCS 2026| Country | Reserves (thousand metric tons) |
|---|---|
| China | 7,800 |
| United States | 3,500 |
| Chile | 2,600 |
| Russia | 1,100 |
| Peru | 1,000 |
| Australia | 760 |
| Armenia | 150 |
| Other countries | 150 |
| Mexico | 130 |
| Korea, North | 78 |
| World Total | 17,000 |
Major Producers (20)
Ranked by latest disclosed Mo-contained productionCompanies ranked by most recently disclosed annual molybdenum production (Mo-contained, kilotonnes). Each card links to the primary source (annual report, production report, or exchange filing). "Not disclosed" means the company does not publish metal-specific tonnage — common for private Chinese/state-owned groups and pre-production projects.
United States
FCX
38.6
kt Mo
FY2024
United States
FCX
36.3
kt Mo
CY2024
#5Luoyang Luanchuan Molybdenum Industry Group Co., Ltd. (LYZX)
China
603993
15.4
kt Mo
FY2024
Chile
State-Owned
15.3
kt Mo
FY2024
Mexico
GMEXICOB
13.2
kt Mo
FY2024
United States (operations in Mexico and Peru; subsidiary of Grupo México)
SCCO
13.2
kt Mo
FY2024
United Kingdom (Chilean operations)
ANTO
10.7
kt Mo
FY2024
Peru
FCX
9.10
kt Mo
FY2024
United States
FCX
8.20
kt Mo
FY2024
Australia
BHP
Undisclosed Output
Not disclosed
FY2025
Olympic Dam and Prominent Hill (Copper SA) report copper (316 kt FY25), gold, silver, uranium but do not publicly disclose Mo output separately, likely minor by-product.
Mongolia
RIO
Undisclosed Output
Not disclosed
FY2025
Joint venture operated by Rio Tinto (66%), Mongolian gov't (34% via Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi); Mo produced as Cu by-product but not publicly disclosed separately in primary operational reports.
Yichun Luming Mining Co., Ltd.
China
Private
Undisclosed Output
Not disclosed
Subsidiary of China Railway Group (CREC · SSE:601390); reports capacity of 22.5 kt Mo concentrate (>50% grade, ~11.6 kt contained Mo) but no actual FY24/25 production disclosed separately in accessible primary sources.
Armenia
Private
Undisclosed Output
Not disclosed
CY2024
Kajaran Cu-Mo mine operator; reports Mo concentrate sales (16,437 dmt CY2024) but no contained Mo production.
Latest News
All metals news →No recent news for this metal. Visit the Hub news section for all metals news.
Frequently Asked Questions
Auto-generated from primary-source dataWhat is the current price of molybdenum?
As of June 9, 2026, Molybdenum traded at $39.96 USD/lb on Spot. Prices update multiple times per business day on TSM Hub from exchange and benchmark feeds.
Which countries produce the most molybdenum?
The largest molybdenum producing countries are China (e100,000 metric tons), Peru (41,900 metric tons), Chile (38,500 metric tons). Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026.
Which countries hold the largest molybdenum reserves?
The countries with the largest reported molybdenum reserves are China (7,800 thousand metric tons), United States (3,500 thousand metric tons), Chile (2,600 thousand metric tons). Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026.
Who are the largest global producers of molybdenum?
Among 780+ producers tracked on TSM Hub, the largest disclosed molybdenum producers include Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (Climax Molybdenum Company subsidiary) (United States), Copper development company Freeport (Henderson Mine) (United States), Jinduicheng Molybdenum Group Mining Corporation (China). Some operating molybdenum producers do not publish metal-specific tonnage — such as BHP (Olympic Dam / Prominent Hill) (Australia), Oyu Tolgoi LLC (operated by Rio Tinto / Turquoise Hill Resources / Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi) (Mongolia), Yichun Luming Mining Co., Ltd. (China) — and are listed with an “Undisclosed Output” badge instead of a rank, in line with our principle of never inventing numbers absent from primary sources. Full ranking with primary-source links is available in the producers section.
Where can I find official molybdenum price data?
Official molybdenum prices are published by Spot. TSM Hub aggregates these feeds under licensed market-data redistributor agreements and updates them twice daily.
What is the primary source for molybdenum production and reserves data?
Country-level molybdenum production and reserves figures on TSM Hub are sourced directly from the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, the U.S. Geological Survey's authoritative annual reference. Company-level production figures come from each producer's official annual report, production report, or regulated exchange filing.