Molybdenum

Although it was first discovered in the west in 1778 by swedish chemist Carl Welhelm Scheele (for whom the mineral scheelite is named), there is some evidence that the metal was deliberately alloyed with steel in Japan much earlier than this (14th century), but it seems that particular technique was not widespread and knowledge of it within Japan was soon lost.

The first dedicate molybdenum mine was the Knaben mine in Norway, opened in 1885.

The majority of molybdenum is used in metallurgy as an additive for specialist steels and in some superalloys.

High-strength steel alloys contain between 0.25-8% molybdenum.

Molybdenum is an important biological trace element so it is used in some fertilizers.

Molybdenum compounds are used as lubricants, heating elements, conductive ceramics, pigments and catalysts in industry.

Commodity	Associated Localities	Total Localities	% Association (commodity)	% Association (Molybdenum)
Copper	931	14,897	6.25% of all Copper deposits have Molybdenum.	46.97% of all Molybdenum deposits have Copper.
Silver	703	16,928	4.15% of all Silver deposits have Molybdenum.	35.47% of all Molybdenum deposits have Silver.
Gold	577	30,383	1.90% of all Gold deposits have Molybdenum.	29.11% of all Molybdenum deposits have Gold.
Lead	501	12,310	4.07% of all Lead deposits have Molybdenum.	25.28% of all Molybdenum deposits have Lead.
Tungsten	377	2,787	13.53% of all Tungsten deposits have Molybdenum.	19.02% of all Molybdenum deposits have Tungsten.
Zinc	370	7,849	4.71% of all Zinc deposits have Molybdenum.	18.67% of all Molybdenum deposits have Zinc.
Uranium	169	8,881	1.90% of all Uranium deposits have Molybdenum.	8.53% of all Molybdenum deposits have Uranium.
Arsenic	99	1,049	9.44% of all Arsenic deposits have Molybdenum.	4.99% of all Molybdenum deposits have Arsenic.

* in exploitable quantities, based on associations listed on mindat.org