Infographic

Molybdenum in numbers

Molybdenum (Mo) drawn as one poster: 260 kt of world mine production in 2025, China the largest producer, 5 critical mineral lists. Scroll to draw it, then download it as SVG or PNG.

PROSPECTOR TRAILS · INFOGRAPHIC · DATA YEAR 2025MolybdenumMoAlloying metal · symbol MoMolybdenum strengthens and protects steel (stainless and alloy steels), catalysts andlubricants. Most is a by-product of copper mining.WORLD MINE PRODUCTION 2025260 ktMo content. USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries.TOP PRODUCER: CHINA37%97 kt of the world total in 2025.WORLD RESERVES 202517 MtLargest in China (7.8 Mt). Mo content.CRITICAL MINERAL LISTS5Current government critical or strategic lists namingmolybdenum, across 5 jurisdictions.TOP 3 PRODUCERS69%PRICE 202551.00 $/kgTOP PRODUCERS 2025Where molybdenum comes fromChina97 kt37%Chile42 kt16%United States40 kt15%Peru39 kt15%Mexico17 kt6.5%Armenia5.3 kt2.0%Kazakhstan4.3 kt1.7%Mongolia4.2 kt1.6%Iran3.3 kt1.3%Canada2.2 kt0.8%Mine production, Mo content. Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, estimates.Mine output was about 260 kt in 2025: China 97 kt, Chile 42 kt, the US 40 kt and Peru 39 kt.Reserves are about 17 Mt.1900–2022A century of molybdenum production0.00 t88 kt175 kt262 kt350 kt190019171935195219701987200520222022: 253 kt1900: 10 tWorld production, USGS column 'World production'. Source: USGS Data Series 140, historical statistics.PRODUCING COUNTRIES15 countries reported molybdenum output in 2025Filled countries produce it; brighter is larger. Outline map simplified from Natural Earth.TRADE FLOWS 2024Biggest molybdenum trade routesChile → Japan$494 mUnited States → United Kingdom$346 mChile → Brazil$328 mMexico → South Korea$249 mChile → India$239 mHS 261310: Molybdenum ores and concentrates, roasted. World trade $4.5 bn in 2024. Source: CEPII BACI (HS22).POLICYOn the critical listsAustralia: critical 2024Canada: critical 2024India: critical 2023South Korea: critical 2023China: strategic 2016EXPORT CONTROLSChina: licensing requirement from 2025. Source: OECD export restrictions inventory and government notices, asrecorded in our data.prospectortrails.comSources: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, CEPII BACI, IEA (CC BY 4.0), World Bank,government lists. Figures rounded.PROSPECTOR TRAILSOpen data, drawn in numbers
Molybdenum infographic: world production, top producers, reserves, a century of output, producing countries on a map, trade routes, critical lists. Data year 2025.

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The numbers

The figures on the poster, with their sources. Production and reserves are USGS estimates, trade values are CEPII BACI customs data, demand is the IEA's outlook.

World mine production, 2025
260 kt (Mo content) USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Largest producer
China, 97 kt (37% of world) USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Top three producers' share
69% USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
World reserves, 2025
17 Mt (Mo content), largest in China USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Critical mineral lists
5 current lists in 5 jurisdictions (Australia, Canada, China, India, South Korea) government critical mineral lists
Price, 2025
51.00 $/kg (Price, average, dollars per kilogram) USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
World production, 1900
10 t (USGS historical series, as reported) USGS Data Series 140 (historical statistics)
World production, 2022 (historical series)
253 kt USGS Data Series 140 (historical statistics)
Largest trade flow, 2024
Chile → Japan, $494 m (HS 261310, Molybdenum ores and concentrates, roasted); world trade $4.5 bn CEPII BACI trade database
Export controls
China (licensing requirement)

Sources

USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 · USGS Data Series 140 (historical statistics) · CEPII BACI trade database · government critical mineral lists. Figures are rounded; country names follow our atlas.

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Molybdenum storyWhere molybdenum is minedCritical mineral listsAll infographics