M A R K E T R E P O R T O F T H E M O N T H

Molybdenum Chemical markets, now relatively small, brighten outlook to balance predominantly metallurgical uses

MAJOR PRODUCERS

American Metal Cli­max, Inc.

Kennecott Copper Corp.

Braden Copper Co. (Chile)

Union Carbide Corp. (Captive)

MAJOR CONVERTERS

American Metal Cli­max, Inc.

Molybdenum Corp. of America

Republic Steel Corp. (Captive)

S. W. Shattuck Chem­ical Co.

Production of molybdenum concentrate from U. S. ore bodies

climbed spectacularly from a million pounds a year in 1925 to

over 60 million during World War II. When the pressure for this

strategic steel—alloying ingredient relaxed late in the war,

output skidded to less than 20 million pounds. Back now at

somewhat over 60 million pounds, production should increase

steadily to nudge 75 million pounds annually within the next few

years.

Though the biggest field for molybdenum lies in metal­

lurgical uses (85 to 90% of current consumption), chemical ap­

plications make up a fast—growing segment of the business today.

In order of importance attached to them by the industry's big­

gest producer, Climax Molybdenum Co., a division of American

Metal Climax, Inc., major areas of usage in the chemical field

include :

• Lubrication. Molybdenum disulfide, dispersed in greases and oils for industrial and automotive use, and in vola­tile carriers to form dry coatings, should grow fast and big.

• Corrosion inhibition. Sodium molybdate, especially ef­fective on aluminum surfaces, dissolves in cooling solu­tions to protect aluminum motor blocks in automobiles.

• Catalysis. Cobalt molybdate and various other molybdenum salts aid hydrogen treatment of petroleum stocks for de-sulfurization; phosphomolybdates promote oxidation.

• Coloration. Molybdenum compounds form pigments and dye-stuffs in a relative stable market.

• Agriculture. Molybdenum in the form of sodium molybdate or molybdic oxide, becomes a trace element in fertiliz­ers .

• Surface protection. Zinc or calcium molybdate serves as inhibitory pigments in protective coatings and paints for metals subjected to corrosive atmospheres.

VOL. 53, NO. 3 · MARCH 1961 29 A

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M A R K E T R E P O R T O F T H E M O N T H

MAJOR USES

Producing molybdenum concentrate requires both adequate supplies of rich enough ore and large amounts of water. At the world's largest molybdenum mine (Climax, Colo.) the raw ore now assays 0.3 to 0.4% Mo (about 6 pounds or so per ton); lower con­tent makes production uneconomic by present techniques. Climax processes about 33,000 tons of ore per day. Grinding and flota­tion separation recovers mostly MoS2 (assaying over 96%), with a small amount of Mo03. Some of this primary concentrate is ex­ported (total foreign shipments run as high as 30 to 40% of production); Climax sells some of its remainder to foreign converters, converts the rest itself at Langeloth, Pa.

Here, a roaster burns out the sulfur and oxidizes the molybdenum to the trioxide which analyzes about 90% Mo03. This oxide is itself a major metallurgical product, with about nine tenths of it going into manufacture of iron and steel. The other tenth is divided into several process streams for further treatment. A sublimation furnace gives 99.95% Mo03 directly— some of this goes into "super alloys," and some gets reduced to molybdenum powder for fabrication into ingots and subsequent forming into refractory-metal parts. A thermite process, us­ing the trioxide and iron ore, gives ferromolybdenum. A pitch binder helps form Mo03 briquets for foundry use, where the added carbon acts as a reducing or carbonizing agent. Dis­solving the Mo03 in caustic gives sodium molybdate for pigments, soluble fertilizers, catalysts; further reaction makes calcium and zinc molybdates and various phosphomolybdates. And, dis­solving the sublimed Mo03 in aqua ammonia forms ammonium molyb­date, a catalyst and an analytical reagent.

While Climax looks for widespread consumer acceptance to develop over the next few years among MoS2 lubricants (one of the big three auto makers is now promoting a premium-priced, 30,000-mile grease job for its cars, and is packaging a molyb­denum disulfide grease under its own label), the firm believes that a major market may soon arise in the catalyst area. Last summer, Standard Oil (Ohio) put on stream in Lima, Ohio, the first commercial plant for making acrylonitrile via a novel oxidation route involving ammonia and propylene. Said to be cheaper and more efficient than other commercial processes, the Sohio technique, based upon a molybdenum-containing catalyst, may hit the jackpot as overseas "acrylo" production booms.

Molybdenum prices, based on Mo contained in the concentrate, have historically remained fairly stable, except for the World War I period when demand far exceeded the small supply. Prices rose slowly from 70 cents a pound in 1932 and 75 cents from 1938 to 1948, to the present level of $1.25. Price advances for the other molybdenum compounds (ferromolybdenum, molybdenum trioxide, and molybdate salts) have paralleled those for the concentrate, with lubricant MoS2 now selling for $1.15 per pound of product in quantity lots.

Lubricants

Corrosion inhibitors

Catalysts

Coloring agents

Fertilizers

Protective coatings

3 0 A INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY

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