Molybdenum Price Summary (Sep 27, 2023)
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Molybdenum Primary Price Summary (September 27, 2023)
Timeliness note: the quotes below are a historical summary dated September 27, 2023, for reference and trend analysis only. Confirm current prices with live market sources and supplier quotations.
1. Ferromolybdenum Prices (10,000 CNY/ton, tax-included)
| Date | Product | Grade | Price | Change | Terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/9/27 | Ferromolybdenum | FeMo60B | 25-25.4 | -1.15 | Cash, tax-included |
| 2023/9/27 | Ferromolybdenum | FeMo60B | 25.2-25.6 | -1.15 | Acceptance, tax-included |
| 2023/9/25 | Ferromolybdenum | FeMo60 | 26.4 | - | Cash, tax-included |
| 2023/9/26 | Ferromolybdenum | FeMo60 | 24.98-25.65 | - | Acceptance, tax-included |
2. Molybdenum Concentrate and Oxide Prices (CNY/ton, tax-included)
| Date | Product | Grade | Price | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/9/27 | Molybdenum concentrate | Mo40-42% | 3870-3880 | -150 |
| 2023/9/27 | Molybdenum concentrate | Mo45-47% | 3900-3920 | -150 |
| 2023/9/27 | Molybdenum concentrate | Mo47-50% | 3910-3930 | -150 |
| 2023/9/27 | Molybdenum concentrate | Mo >50% | 3930-3950 | -150 |
| 2023/9/27 | Molybdenum oxide | Mo >51% | 4010-4040 | -150 |
Note the different units: ferromolybdenum in 10,000 CNY/t, concentrate/oxide in CNY/t (per ton of material at the stated grade).
3. Ferromolybdenum Production Background
The main raw material is molybdenite (MoS2). Before smelting, concentrate is oxidized and roasted (e.g., in a multi-hearth furnace) to roasted molybdenum oxide with sulfur below 0.07%.
Smelting generally uses the outside-furnace (metal-thermic) method: a cylinder furnace on a sand base, lined with clay bricks, with 75% ferrosilicon and a small amount of aluminium particles as reductants; the charge is added at once and ignited from the top (initiator: saltpetre, aluminium chips or magnesium chips).
After the violent reaction, slag is released and the furnace barrel is removed; ingots cool in the sand nest, then in the cooling room with water flushing, and are finally crushed and finished. Metal recovery is 92-99%.
In recent years, molybdenum oxide briquettes have been widely used in steelmaking to replace ferromolybdenum.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which products and dates does this molybdenum price summary cover? The summary covers the Chinese molybdenum chain for September 25-27, 2023: ferromolybdenum grades FeMo60 and FeMo60B, molybdenum concentrate at several manganese-grade levels, and molybdenum oxide. All figures are historical, tax-included quotes intended for reference and trend analysis.
Why are different units used in the two tables? Ferromolybdenum is quoted in units of 10,000 CNY per ton, while molybdenum concentrate and oxide are quoted in CNY per ton of material at the stated grade. Mixing up the units would misstate the price level by a factor of ten thousand, so the unit of each quote must be read together with the figure.
How did ferromolybdenum FeMo60B move on September 27, 2023? FeMo60B was quoted at 25-25.4 (cash, tax-included) and 25.2-25.6 (acceptance, tax-included) in 10,000 CNY per ton, down 1.15 on the day. For comparison, FeMo60 traded at 26.4 on September 25 and 24.98-25.65 on September 26 on the same 10,000 CNY per ton basis.
How are molybdenum concentrate grades priced in this summary? The September 27 quotes in CNY per ton were: Mo40-42% at 3870-3880, Mo45-47% at 3900-3920, Mo47-50% at 3910-3930 and Mo above 50% at 3930-3950, each down 150 from the previous session. Molybdenum oxide (Mo above 51%) stood at 4010-4040 CNY per ton, also down 150, which shows the value ladder between concentrate grades and the oxide product.
How is ferromolybdenum produced from molybdenite? The main raw material is molybdenite (MoS2). Before smelting, the concentrate is oxidized and roasted, for example in a multi-hearth furnace, into roasted molybdenum oxide with sulfur below 0.07%. Smelting generally uses the outside-furnace (metal-thermic) method: a clay-brick-lined cylinder furnace on a sand base, with 75% ferrosilicon and a small amount of aluminium particles as reductants; the charge is added at once and ignited from the top using saltpetre, aluminium chips or magnesium chips. After the reaction, slag is released and the ingots cool in the sand nest and then in a water-flushed cooling room before crushing and finishing, with metal recovery of 92-99%.
Why have steel plants increasingly switched from ferromolybdenum to molybdenum oxide briquettes? In recent years, molybdenum oxide briquettes have been widely used in steelmaking as a direct replacement for ferromolybdenum. They skip part of the reduction and alloying steps while delivering molybdenum units efficiently, which is why the oxide product now appears alongside ferromolybdenum in routine price reporting.
