Random Article Summary #140

In 2014, the United States produced 65,500 metric tons of molybdenum, valued at about US$1.8 billion. The US was the world’s second-largest producer, supplying 25% of global molybdenum after China. It also exported a large share of its output, with net exports equal to 48% of what it produced. Most molybdenum is used in steel, so molybdenum demand—and its price—tend to follow trends in steel demand. By the end of 2014, the US had 2.7 million tons of molybdenum reserves and 5.4 million tons of identified resources. Molybdenum in the United States is produced mainly from two kinds of porphyry deposits: molybdenum porphyry mines, where molybdenum is the main product, and copper porphyry mines, where molybdenum is made as a byproduct. In 2014, three molybdenum porphyry deposits were mined in Colorado and Idaho, while byproduct molybdenum came from ten copper porphyry mines in Arizona, Montana, Nevada, and New Mexico. In 2013, byproduct molybdenum from copper mines made up 47% of US molybdenum production, and in both deposit types the molybdenum occurs as molybdenite. The Climax mine, once the world’s largest producer of molybdenum, is located north of Leadville, Colorado. It began producing molybdenum in 1915, ran continuously from 1924 until closing in 1995, and later reopened as a surface (open-pit) mine in 2012 under the Climax Molybdenum Company. The Henderson molybdenum mine near Empire, Colorado began producing molybdenum in 1976 and became the United States’ top molybdenum producer in 2013, producing 13,600 metric tons. The mine is owned by the Climax Molybdenum Company. The Thompson Creek mine in Custer County, Idaho is owned by Thompson Creek Metals Co., Inc. It was a major producer in 2014 but was placed on inactive status in December 2014.