Figures released on October 29, 2019 by the International Molybdenum Association (IMOA) show that global production and use of molybdenum rose when compared to the first quarter of 2019.
Global production of molybdenum rose by 4% to 143.0 million pounds (mlbs) when compared to the previous quarter of 2019, a 3% rise when compared to the same quarter of 2018. Global use of molybdenum rose by 9% to 149.0 mlbs, although this represented a fall of 1% when compared to the same quarter of the previous year.
China remained the largest producer of molybdenum at 50.8 mlbs, 1% below the previous quarter but an increase of 2% when compared to the same quarter of the previous year. South America was the second largest producer at 44 mlbs, a rise of 2% on the previous quarter but a 5% drop when compared to the same quarter of 2018. Production in North America saw the largest percentage increase of 18% to 38.5 mlbs when compared to the same quarter of the previous year, 15% when compared to the previous quarter. Production rose 1% in other countries to 9.8 mlbs when compared to the previous quarter, although this represented a 1% decrease when compared to the same quarter of 2018.
Global use of molybdenum rose by 9% to 149 mlbs when compared to the previous quarter, although this represented a 1% decrease when compared to the same quarter of the previous year. China remained the largest user at 54.8 mlbs, a 23% increase when compared to the previous quarter but a fall of 3% when compared to the same quarter of the previous year.
Europe remained the second largest user of molybdenum at 38.1 mlbs, a rise of 2% when compared to the previous quarter and the same quarter of 2018. Other countries used 22 mlbs of molybdenum, an increase of 1% when compared to the previous quarter but static when compared to the same quarter in 2018. Japan saw an 11% rise in their use of molybdenum to 15.3 mlbs when compared to the previous quarter, a 5% rise when compared to the same quarter of the previous year.
Molybdenum use in the U.S.A. fell by 4% to 13 mlbs when compared to the previous quarter, a 16% decrease when compared to the same quarter of the previous year. The Commonwealth of Independted States (CIS) saw an increase in their molybdenum use of 4% to 5.8mlbs when compared to the previous quarter, an 8% rise in comparison to the same quarter of the previous year.
Press release courtesy of IMOA
Image courtesy of Rembar Co.