Last week saw us looking at our element in position number 6;
strontium. This week we can safely say we’re halfway through our countdown, and
the lucky element that gets to share that landmark with us is…molybdenum!
RANKING:
5
ELEMENT
NAME AND SYMBOL:
Molybdenum
(Mo)
RELATIVE
SUPPLY RISK INDEX:
8.6
WHY?:
The main reason for Mo’s
risk is an economical one. As will be apparent below, it is mostly used in
alloys for stainless steel pans amongst other items. Many countries are facing
recessions and as people stop spending money on kitchenware the value of
molybdenum is decreasing. Subsequently producers are focusing their efforts on
our more valuable metals often found alongside molybdenum, for example copper,
and so the supplies of Mo are decreasing.
LEADING
PRODUCER:
China
TOP RESERVE HOLDER:
China
WHY
THE DEMAND?:
Molybdenum has the
sixth-highest melting point of any element, is extremely hard and will readily
form chemical bonds with other elements. Therefore it is extensively used in
various steel alloys, including superalloys; in fact 80% of Mo produced is used
in these processes.
The remaining 20% is used
in fertilizers (particularly for cauliflowers!) and in the mechanism for
mammograms, amongst other applications.
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