How much molybdenum does Chile produce and export?
Chile is the 2nd largest producer of molybdenum: 42,000 tonnes in 2025, 16% of the world's 260,000 tonnes (USGS MCS). It is the largest exporter by value: $1.9 billion in 2024, 24% of world exports of molybdenum ore (HS 2613) (CEPII BACI). Its biggest customer is Japan, which takes 26% of its molybdenum exports by value.
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Chile's molybdenum production
| World rank | Production (tonnes) | Share of world | Ten-year growth | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 42,000 tonnes | 16% | — | 2025 |
USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, MCS 2026.
Chile's molybdenum exports
| World rank | Export value | Share of world exports | Quantity (tonnes) | Average value per tonne | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.9 billion | 24% | 78,692 t | $24,561 | 2024 |
CEPII BACI international trade database (HS22, V202601), HS 2613 (Molybdenum ores and concentrates).
Where Chile's molybdenum goes
| Destination | Value | Share of Chile's exports |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | $494M | 26% |
| Brazil | $328M | 17% |
| South Korea | $264M | 14% |
| India | $243M | 13% |
| Netherlands | $162M | 8.4% |
Chile as a buyer of molybdenum
Chile imported $817.3 million of molybdenum ore (HS 2613) in 2024, 10% of world imports, ranked #4. Of its $817.3 million of molybdenum imports in 2024, 80% came from Peru and 9% from Mexico, among 13 suppliers. Largest sources: Peru (80%), Mexico (9.4%), United States (3.7%), Armenia (2.6%), Netherlands (2.3%).
Cite as: Commodity Origins, "Chile molybdenum: production, exports and prices", https://commodityorigins.com/countries/CHL/molybdenum/ (CC BY 4.0). Rankings count only countries reporting to the sources named; this page is shown only for top-five producers or exporters with at least 3% of the world total. Report an issue with this page.