628 MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1941

Salient statistics of the molybdenum industry in the United States, 1939—41

1939
1940
1941
Concentrates:



Production short tons - Molybdenum contained pounds~Shipments (including
exports) short tons..
Molybdenum contained:
Average percent..
Total  pounds~  Value '  - -                        Exports - - - - -  short
tons -
Molybdenum contained  pounds - Value -              
imports for consumption (molybdes~um contained):
Pounds                                       
Value -                  
32,347
30, 324~ 000
31,479

51.49
32,415,000
$22, 157,000
21,777
(2)
$14,066,501

26,347
$32, 327
33,128
34,313,000
24,300
-
52.12
25,329,000
$17,189,000
6,339
6,584,714
$4,904,000

 
 
- 38,962
40,162,000
 36,894
 51.77
38,200,000
$25, 883,000
 7,673
7,640,330
$5,379,367
 4,300
 $2, 898
1 Estimated by Bureau of Mines.


2 Not recorded.


DEFENSE PROGRAM

 Recognition of the possibilities of using molybdenum in place of tungsten
is by no means recent. References cited by Gregg 2 indicate that early in
the twentieth century a number of investigators were studying the properties
of molybdenum as a steel-alloying element and its effective value in replacing
tungsten for such use. Anticipating the possibility that imports of tungsten
might be curtailed, several steps were taken by Federal defense agencies
during -1941 to promote the use of molybdenum as a substitute material. The
Advisory Committee on Metals and Minerals of the National Academy of Sciences
submitted a report in April 1941 indicating that molybdenum high-speed steels
can be substituted for tungsten steels "rather sweepingly if the necessity
arises."
 Molybdenum was one of 16 metals included in 0. P. M. General Metals Order
1, issued May 1, 1941, to which inventory control was applied. The order
provided that the metals affected might not be shipped to customers in quantities
that would increase customers' inventories to unnecessary levels. The 16
metals were then placed on the Priorities Critical List. (General-Metals
Order 1 was extended to October 15, 1941, and subsequently revoked.)
 On June 12, 1941, General Preference Order M—14 was issued, which
provided that a customer for high-speed steel might not purchase the tungsten-type
steel (containing more than 12.0 percent tungsten) if the molybdenum type
(7.0 percent or less tungsten and more than 3.0 percent molybdenum) would
serve as well. It provided further that during any 3-month period, beginning
June 1, 1941, a customer for high-speed steel might purchase tungsten-type
steel only to the extent that he bought molybdenum-type steel.
 Early in December the foregoing order was amended to provide that 75 percent
of all high-speed-steel orders accepted in any one quarter should be of the
molybdenum type and not more than 25 percent of the tungsten type. The order
was also extended to December 31, 1942.
 As a result of the increased use of molybdenum in replacing tungsten in
alloy steels, the War Production Board issued General Preference Order M—1
10 on March 18, 1942, providing for complete alloca2 Gregg, J. L., The Alloys
of Iron and Molybdenum: McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., New York, 1932,
507 pp.