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Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining in the US - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Shahool Al Bari Shahool Al Bari New York, United States Last Updated: May 2024 NAICS 21229

Revenue

$2.7bn

2024

$2.7bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XXX.Xm

Employees

3,092

Businesses

40

Wages

$XXX.Xm

Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining in the US industry analysis

Molybdenum and metal ore miners have exhibited constant shifts in revenue as commodity prices have fluctuated amid global supply and demand conditions. While revenue slid during the pandemic as mines were temporarily idled or operating at limited capacity, an economic recovery quickly helped miners bounce back. Massive commodity price jumps in molybdenum and platinum have bolstered revenue as steel and automobile manufacturing markets require these metals. These price surges allowed companies to maintain lower production levels amid fixed costs, enhancing profitability. Industry revenue has climbed at a CAGR of 2.2% to an estimated $2.7 billion through the end of 2024. Revenue will dip 7.7% in 2024 as molybdenum prices push down after massive spikes.

Trends and Insights

  • Revenue for miners fluctuates significantly because of volatile metal prices. While domestic and global sales dipped during the pandemic, they have since rebounded sharply with the reopening of economies, driving a surge in revenue despite lower production.
  • Molybdenum is used as an alloying agent in cast iron, steel and superalloys. Such usage ties the price of molybdenum to the performance of the world's steel industries, which rely on the world's construction and automotive sectors.
  • The Rocky Mountains host the largest platinum mines in Montana and the largest molybdenum mines in Colorado. The concentration of metal minerals in this region significantly reduces mining costs by enabling extraction from a single area.
  • Internal competition is largely based on price, but miners can differentiate themselves in other ways. Having a reliable supply and offering low transport costs can give mining companies a competitive edge.

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  • Critical performance data and rankings
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 2.2 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $2.7bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Changing prices alter revenue flows

  • Revenue for miners can drastically shift since prices are volatile. Domestic and global sales from downstream markets dipped during the pandemic, but have quickly recovered as the economy has progressively reopened leading to a surge in revenue.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining in the US
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Commodity prices shift impacting revenue

  • In recent years, many copper miners have entered the industry by mining molybdenum as a by-product of their copper operations. This has led to an oversupply of the metal often used in steel production, which will cause prices to remain steady throughout the outlook period. Even so, there are few adequate substitutes for molybdenum, limiting steel producers' options for substitution

Biggest companies in the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining in the US

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue ($m)
2024
Profit ($m)
2024
Profit Margin (%)
2024
Sibanye Stillwater Ltd
691.9
100.7
14.6
Rio Tinto Plc
522.9
84.6
16.2
Freeport-Mcmoran Inc.
338.7
73.2
21.6

To view the market share and analysis for all 3 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining in the US
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Molybdenum, Platinum group metals and Uranium. Molybdenum is the largest segment of the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining in the US.

Trends and Insights

Molybdenum dances along the construction and automotive industries

  • Molybdenum is used principally as an alloying agent in cast iron, steel and superalloys to enhance hardness, strength, toughness and wear- and corrosion resistance. This ties the price of molybdenum to the performance of the world's steel industries, which rely on the world's construction and automotive sectors.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Companies in this industry mine molybdenum, platinum, palladium, beryllium, uranium and a range of other nonferrous metal-bearing ores, excluding gold, silver, copper, nickel, lead and zinc ores.

What's included in this industry?

Uranium, radium and vanadium ore mining and beneficiatingPlatinum mining and beneficiatingPalladium mining and beneficiatingBeryllium ore mining and beneficiatingMolybdenum ore mining and beneficiatingOther metal ore mining and beneficiating (excluding iron ore, gold and silver and major base metals)

Companies

Sibanye Stillwater LtdRio Tinto PlcFreeport-Mcmoran Inc.

Purchase this report to view all 3 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

OPEN-CUT MININGCANNIBALIZATIONCONCENTRATEIN SITU LEACHINGYELLOWCAKEROASTING

Industry Code

NAICS 2017

NAICS 21229 - Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining in the US

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Revenue for miners fluctuates significantly because of volatile metal prices. While domestic and global sales dipped during the pandemic, they have since rebounded sharply wi...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Molybdenum is used as an alloying agent in cast iron, steel and superalloys. Such usage ties the price of molybdenum to the performance of the world's steel industries, which...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024
  • International trade, including imports by country and exports by country

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
  • Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

The Rocky Mountains host the largest platinum mines in Montana and the largest molybdenum mines in Colorado. The concentration of metal minerals in this region significantly ...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each state
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each state in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each state accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each state accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each state in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Internal competition is largely based on price, but miners can differentiate themselves in other ways. Having a reliable supply and offering low transport costs can give mini...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

There has been a corporate mission to reduce carbon footprint. Rio Tinto has placed a greater focus on ensuring that the essential materials it sells are produced more respon...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Sibanye Stillwater Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Rio Tinto Plc's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Freeport-Mcmoran Inc.'s performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Sibanye Stillwater Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Rio Tinto Plc, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Freeport-Mcmoran Inc., and factors influencing its performance in the industry

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Metal ore miners are highly regulated. Miners must comply with health and safety regulations and environmental laws to ensure their operations don't get shut down.

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Wildly fluctuating metal prices have a volatile effect on industry profit. Higher prices have enabled producers to profit more as unit operating costs remain relatively stabl...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Industry Multiples (2017-2022)
  • Industry Tax Structure (2017-2022)
  • Income Statement (2017-2022)
  • Balance Sheet (2017-2022)
  • Liquidity Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Coverage Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2017-2022)
  • Operating Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining in the US industry in United States in 2024?

The market size of the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining in the US industry in United States is $2.7bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining in the US industry in 2024?

There are 40 businesses in the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining in the US industry in United States, which has grown at a CAGR of 1.6 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining in the US industry in United States grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining in the US industry in United States has been growing at a CAGR of 2.2 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining in the US industry in United States over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining in the US industry in United States is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining in the US market in United States?

The biggest companies operating in the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining market in United States are Sibanye Stillwater Ltd, Rio Tinto Plc and Freeport-Mcmoran Inc.

What does the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining in the US in United States include?

Uranium, radium and vanadium ore mining and beneficiating and Platinum mining and beneficiating are part of the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining in the US industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining in the US in United States?

The company holding the most market share in United States is Sibanye Stillwater Ltd.

How competitive is the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining in the US industry in United States?

The level of competition is high and increasing in the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining in the US industry in United States.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • There are no industries to display.

Complementors

  • Coal Mining in the US
  • Iron Ore Mining in the US
  • Gold & Silver Ore Mining in the US
  • Copper, Nickel, Lead & Zinc Mining in the US
  • Mineral & Phosphate Mining in the US

International industries

  • Uranium & Metal Ore Mining
  • Bauxite Mining in Australia
  • Manganese and Other Mineral Mining in Australia
  • Uranium Mining in Australia
  • Aluminum Ore Mining in China

View all industries in United States

Methodology

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IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

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Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in the US include: 

  • US Census Bureau
  • US Bureau of Labor Statistics
  • US International Trade Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

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