Molybdenum production up 1% but usage is down

Figures released by the International Molybdenum Association (IMOA) show that Global production of molybdenum rose by 1% to 143.9 million pounds (mlbs) when compared to the previous quarter of 2019, a 4% rise when compared to the same quarter of last year. Global use of molybdenum fell 8% to 136.4 mlbs, a fall of 7% when compared to the same quarter of the previous year.

China remained the largest producer of molybdenum at 52.8 mlbs, an increase of 4% on the previous quarter but a 15% increase when compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Production in South America saw the largest percentage increase of 10% to 48.3 mlbs when compared to the previous quarter, but this represented a fall of 2% when compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Production in North America saw the largest percentage fall of 13% to 33.4 mlbs, although this represented a 2% increase when compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Production fell 6% in other countries to 9.4 mlbs when compared to the previous quarter, a 5% fall when compared to the same quarter as the previous year.

Global molybdenum usage fell 8% to 136.4 mlbs when compared to the previous quarter, a 7% fall when compared to the same quarter of the previous year. China remained the largest user at 53.6 mlbs, a 4% decrease when compared to the previous quarter, but a 6% decrease when compared to the same quarter of the previous year. While Europe remained the second largest user at 30.2 mlbs, it experienced the largest drop in usage, a 16% drop when compared to the previous quarter and an 11% drop when compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Other countries used 20.6 mlbs, a 5% drop when compared to the previous quarter and a 7% drop when compared the same quarter of the previous year. Molybdenum use in the USA fell for the second consecutive quarter to 13.7 mlbs, a 2% fall when compared to the previous quarter and a 7% fall when compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Japan saw a 9% decrease in its usage to 13.3 mlbs when compared to the previous quarter, a 6% fall when compared to the same quarter of the previous year. CIS saw a 15% reduction in their usage to 5 mlbs when compared to the previous quarter, an 8% reduction in comparison to the same quarter of the previous year.