Discovered in 1778 by Swedish Chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele and isolated in 1781 by Peter Jacob Hjelm, molybdenum is used mainly as a component of alloyed steel. A silvery white metal with an atomic number of 42, molybdenum is solid at room temperature, has an atomic mass of 95.94, and appears in the periodic table of elements under the chemical symbol of "Mo." Because of its softness, color, and greasy feel, it was originally mistaken as a lead compound. Its name, derived from molybdos, the Greek word for lead, reflects this.
One of molybdenum's most unique and therefore useful qualities is its extremely high melting point: 4753 degrees F (2623 degrees C, or 2896 K). In fact, compared to other pure elements, molybdenum has one of the highest melting points. Because of its ability to withstand extremely high temperatures, molybdenum is used in the manufacture of rockets, aircrafts, spacecrafts, rifle barrels, light bulb filaments, and furnace components.
In the United States, about two thirds of the molybdenum is used to make stainless and alloy steel. Stainless steel, resistant to rust and corrosion, is used, for example, in water distribution systems and food-service equipment. Durable alloy steels are used in the formation of automotive parts and construction machinery. Added to steel alloys, molybdenum forms an extremely strong product that can withstand high temperatures. Molybdenum can also be used as a smoke and flame retardant, a corrosion inhibitor, a dry lubricant, and a chemical catalyst in certain applications in the petroleum industry.
The United States is a significant source of the world's molybdenum, drawing from mines in Colorado, New Mexico, and Idaho. Other prolific producers worldwide include China, Canada, Peru, and Russia. Molybdenum can be mined directly, gleaned from ore sources such as molybdenite or molybdenum sulfide (MoS2), obtained as a by-product of copper mining, and recovered from the mineral wulfenite (PbMoO4).
Molybdenum is a metallic element and is a silvery-white, soft substance. The primary uses of molybdenum are as an addition to construction steels and irons, as a catalyst, as a pigment and as a flame retardant. When molybdenum is alloyed with steel, it makes the steel stronger and more heat-resistant. It is derived from the mineral molybdenite, which is mined in the southwestern United States, China, Chile, Russia and Mongolia.
The most significant of the uses of molybdenum is as an additive in steel and iron alloys. The addition of molybdenum improves the strength of steel and iron, reduces cracking and enables the metals to better withstand higher temperatures. In the early 21st century, about half of all mined molybdenum was used for iron and steel alloys in construction, tools, auto parts and steam turbines.
Another one of the uses of molybdenum is as a chemical catalyst. Molybdenum's versatile chemical structure and the ease with which it transitions between oxidation states makes it an attractive catalyst for scientists creating chemical reactions and syntheses in laboratories. One of the important energy-related uses of molybdenum is as a catalyst in the refining of fuel.
Molybate, a derivative of molybdenum, has an important application in the field of agriculture. As an essential trace element in plants, animals and humans, molybdenum plays an important role in the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia. That fact makes the use of molybdenum in fertilizers a common occurrence.
Molybdenum is also added to pigments to make those colors more stable and less susceptible to corrosion. It is commonly mixed with bright red, orange and yellow pigments in inks, paint and plastics because it makes those colored products stand up better against exposure to light and heat. One of the less-common uses of molybdenum is a fire retardant because of its unique ability to suppress smoke. It has even been applied as a dry lubricant to the outside of spacecraft.
Molybdenum is also important biologically as it facilitates the process of nitrogen absorption in plants. In order for soil to support plant life, it must contain a satisfactory level of molybdenum. Trace amounts of dietary molybdenum is also necessary to promote growth in animals; excessive amounts of molybdenum however is toxic. As a result, in the US, exposure to molybdenum in the workplace is regulated by both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).