Molybdenum is a critical mineral for industries such as aerospace, mobile communications, and computing technologies.
Did you know that a significant portion of the technology you use every day contains an element derived from Chilean mining? That element is molybdenum—a relatively unknown metal that plays a central role in global industry and is becoming increasingly important in our daily lives.
Nicknamed the “gray gold,” molybdenum is a by-product of copper mining. Although Chile accounts for 15% of global production, the country leads in exports, controlling 33% of the global trade.
This metal, found in aircraft turbines, engines, and electronic displays for mobile phones, computers, and televisions, is much more than a simple mineral. Its unique properties—being an excellent conductor and highly resistant to corrosion—make it essential for transparent electrodes in liquid crystal displays. In other words, thanks to molybdenum, digital interaction with devices is seamless.
Beyond its technological uses, molybdenum is positioned as a mineral of the future. According to Juan Carlos Guajardo, Executive Director of Plusmining, “Its presence is critical in advanced nuclear energy, water desalination, semiconductor manufacturing, and the infrastructure required for green hydrogen.”
In Chile, innovation around molybdenum has gained momentum in recent years. Researchers at the Laboratory of Applied Research in Extractive Metallurgy (LIAM) of the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso have developed a new processing technology.
This method, based on hydrogen gas and lime, aims to simplify production, reduce energy consumption, and minimize environmental impact by preventing sulfur emissions into the atmosphere. Álvaro Aracena, cofounder of LIAM and director of the project, describes this as “a radical shift in the treatment of molybdenum ores, enabling higher efficiency and modernizing technologies that have been in place for over 50 years.”
Molybdenum Is Nearly Six Times More Valuable Than Copper
Molybdenum represents a highly profitable business. While copper trades at approximately US$4.5 per pound, molybdenum commands nearly US$28 per pound—almost six times higher.
This translates into significant revenues for Chile, which exports the mineral primarily to China, the Netherlands, Japan, and South Korea, where it is used in high-technology industries.
As Guajardo notes, “Unlike other critical metals, molybdenum already has a consolidated global market, high recyclability, and established supply chains.”
In addition to its role in technology and energy, molybdenum is increasingly regarded as a strategic resource for Chile—not only due to its economic contribution but also its impact across multiple future-oriented industries.
Marcelo Lucero Yañez, Director of the School of Engineering, Energy, and Technology at AIEP, highlights: “From higher education, we project molybdenum as a strategic mineral for Chile’s future. Its importance lies not only in its direct contribution to the national economy but also in the added value it generates within the global chain of infrastructure, clean energy, and transportation. Molybdenum becomes a key enabler of high-standard industrial processes, allowing the development of safer, more durable, and more sustainable materials—elements essential to competitiveness and energy transition.”
Ultimately, molybdenum is far more than a metal. It is both an engine of Chile’s economy and a cornerstone of the technology we rely on every day.
Source: Soy Chile