International PBX Ventures Ltd. (CVE:PBX) reports that the company has begun preparations for Phase II drilling on its 100% owned Copaquire copper molybdenum project in Chile.
MAX Resource (CVE:MXR) reported today significant moly grades at their Ravin property in Nevada. MXR reported up to 1.397% molybdenum over 1.2 feet and 18.3 feet of 0.2133% moly at only 156 feet depth.
Despite the recent optimism across the metals sector, molybdenum prices are continuing on a downward trend. Last week, sluggish demand and high stockpiles caused European ferromolybdenum prices to drop below US $21 per kg. US market prices also slid.
Chinese imports of molybdenum concentrate and molybdenum oxide nearly doubled from January to February as overseas sellers stepped up competition with Chinese producers. This did little, although, to correct prices.
Government spending will spark a recovery in steel demand towards the end of the year; but its mark on the molybdenum market will be limited. Demand for molybdenum in China likely will rise 6 percent in 2009, then slip to 52,800 tonnes in 2010 before growing again in 2011.
Velocity Minerals Ltd., a company dedicated to the acquisition and development of advanced or high grade molybdenum mineral properties. Velocity presently owns the mineral rights to two molybdenum projects in northern British Columbia (Mt. Haskin and Cassiar Moly) and is actively pursuing other properties in North America and internationally.
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When economic growth resumes, there will be a critical shortage of strategic metals. The rapid collapse in metal’s prices has forced many miners to mothball operations; when demand for these metals resumes, there will be a lag time for production online. This means that as quickly as prices collapsed, we can expect an upswing with more impetus.
The steel sector has been deeply impacted by the global economic climate; with an approximate 50% decline in production. Moly, as an important alloy, is following suit.
In April 2007, when the Sprott molybdenum fund was created, the minor metal was on a fast track. When the fund was created the metal was trading consistently at US $25 per lb; after the ETF was up and running moly cruised to US $ 40 per lb.
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