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US NAICS 21229 | Industry Report

Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining in the US Industry Data and Analysis

SB
Shahool Al Bari
Analyst New York, United States June 2025

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. Nonetheless, this hike was cut short as prices fell drastically starting in 2024 as supply chain issues waned, leading to a mass surplus. Even so, profitability has remained steady as miners scaled back production to adjust for lower demand. Overall, revenue is set to climb at a CAGR of 1.6% to an estimated $1.6 billion through the end of 2025. Revenue will dip 6.6% in 2025 as molybdenum prices push down further because of a supply surplus and lower demand.

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What's included in this industry analysis

IBISWorld's research coverage on the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining industry in the United States includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2015-2030. The most recent publication was released June 2025.

About this industry

What's this industry report about?

The Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining industry in the United States operates under the NAICS industry code 21229. 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. Related terms covered in the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining industry in the United States include open-cut mining, cannibalization, concentrate, in situ leaching, yellowcake and roasting.

What's included in this industry?

Products and services covered in Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining industry in the United States include Molybdenum, Platinum group metals and Uranium.

What companies are included in this industry?

Companies covered in the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining industry in the United States include Freeport-Mcmoran Inc., Sibanye Stillwater Ltd and Rio Tinto Plc.

Performance

What's included in the Performance chapter?

The Performance chapter covers detailed analysis, datasets, detailed current performance, sources of volatility and an outlook with forecasts for the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining industry in the United States.

Questions answered in this chapter include what's driving current industry performance, what influences industry volatility, how do successful businesses overcome volatility, what's driving the industry outlook. This analysis is supported with data and statistics on industry revenues, costs, profits, businesses and employees.

Products & Markets

What's included in the Products and Markets chapter?

The Products and Markets chapter covers detailed product and service segmentation, analysis of major markets and international trade data for the for the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining industry in the United States.

Questions answered in this chapter include how are the industry's products and services performing, what are innovations in industry products and services, what products or services do successful businesses offer and what's influencing demand from the industry's markets. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by product and service segmentation and major markets.

Geographic Breakdown

What's included in the Geographic Breakdown chapter?

The Geographic Breakdown chapter covers detailed analysis and datasets on regional performance of the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining industry in the United States.

Questions answered in this chapter include where are industry businesses located and how do businesses use location to their advantage. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by location.

Competitive Forces

What's included in the Competitive Forces chapter?

The Competitive Forces chapter covers the concentration, barriers to entry and supplier and buyer profiles in the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining industry in the United States. This includes data and statistics on industry market share concentration, barriers to entry, substitute products and buyer & supplier power.

Questions answered in this chapter include what impacts the industry's market share concentration, how do successful businesses handle concentration, what challenges do potential industry entrants face, how can potential entrants overcome barriers to entry, what are substitutes for industry services, how do successful businesses compete with substitutes and what power do buyers and suppliers have over the industry and how do successful businesses manage buyer & supplier power.

Companies

What's included in the Companies chapter?

The Companies chapter covers Key Takeaways, Market Share and Companies in the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining industry in the United States. This includes data and analysis on companies operating in the industry that hold a market share greater than 5%.

Questions answered in this chapter include what companies have a meaningful market share and how each company is performing.

External Environment

What's included in the External Environment chapter?

The External Environment chapter covers Key Takeaways, External Drivers, Regulation & Policy and Assistance in the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining industry in the United States. This includes data and statistics on factors impacting industry revenue such as economic indicators, regulation, policy and assistance programs.

Questions answered in this chapter include what demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the industry, what regulations impact the industry, what assistance is available to this industry.

Financial Benchmarks

What's included in the Financial Benchmarks chapter?

The Financial Benchmarks chapter covers Key Takeaways, Cost Structure, Financial Ratios, Valuation Multiples and Key Ratios in the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining industry in the United States. This includes financial data and statistics on industry performance including key cost inputs, profitability, key financial ratios and enterprise value multiples.

Questions answered in this chapter include what trends impact industry costs and how financial ratios have changed overtime.

Industry Data

What's included in the Industry Data chapter?

The Industry Data chapter includes 10 years of historical data with 5 years of forecast data covering statistics like revenue, industry value add, establishments, enterprises, employment and wages in the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining industry in the United States.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the market size of the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining industry in the United States in 2026?

The market size of the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining industry in the United States is $1.6bn in 2026.

How many businesses are there in the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining industry in the United States in 2025?

There are 43 businesses in the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining industry in the United States, which has grown at a CAGR of 2.0 % between 2020 and 2025.

How may import tariffs affect the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining industry in the United States?

The Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining industry in the United States is likely to be significantly impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a high share of industry revenue.

How may export tariffs affect the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining industry in the United States?

The Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining industry in the United States is likely to be significantly impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a high share of industry revenue.

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

The market size of the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining industry in the United States has been growing at a CAGR of 1.6 % between 2020 and 2025.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The company holding the most market share in the Molybdenum & Metal Ore Mining industry in the United States is Freeport-Mcmoran Inc..

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

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

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