Atomic Number 42

Meet the Metal That Makes Modern Life Possible

Hidden in plain sight, molybdenum is the unsung hero of steel, electronics, and clean energy — and it's element number 42.

Explore the Element
42
Mo
Molybdenum
95.96 u

By the numbers

The facts that make molybdenum remarkable

0°C

Melting point — one of the highest of any metal

0

Atomic number on the periodic table

0t

Tonnes produced globally each year

0

Major industrial applications worldwide

What is molybdenum used for?

From the steel in your city's skyline to the screen in your pocket — Mo is everywhere.

Steel & Alloys

Steel & Alloys

Add a tiny amount of molybdenum to steel and it becomes dramatically stronger, harder, and more resistant to heat and corrosion. It's the secret ingredient in everything from skyscrapers to surgical tools.

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Electronics

Electronics

Molybdenum's unique electrical properties make it essential in flat-panel displays, semiconductors, and thin-film solar cells. Your phone screen likely contains it.

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Clean Energy

Clean Energy

From wind turbines to hydrogen fuel cells, molybdenum plays a critical role in the technologies powering our transition to a sustainable future.

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42
Mo
Molybdenum
"Without molybdenum, modern infrastructure as we know it simply wouldn't exist."

Molybdenum is one of those rare elements that touches almost every corner of modern civilization — yet most people have never heard of it. It strengthens the steel in bridges and buildings, enables the electronics in our devices, and powers the clean energy revolution. As global demand for sustainable technology grows, so does the world's need for this remarkable metal.

42Mo
Element 42
Molybdenum

Exploring the remarkable metal that quietly powers our modern world — from skyscrapers to smartphones.

42
Mo
Molybdenum
95.96 u
Transition Metal

© 2026 Element 42. An educational resource about molybdenum.

"The metal that makes modern life possible."