Molybdenum is a Group 6 chemical element. Its atomic number is 42 and symbol is Mo. Earlier, Molybdenum was called molybdena. Molybdena has advantages like graphite, as it can be used as solid lubricant or to blacken the surface. Although molybdena is differ from graphite. But it was still puzzled with and used as it were graphite. In 1778, Carl Wilhelm Scheele, who was Swedish chemist, had proved that molybdena was actually not graphite and he suggested a new element, called molybdenum for substances in which it presented and from which it could be separated.Afterwards In 1781, Peter Jacob Hjelm separated the molybdenum by using carbon and linseed oil. Presently molybdenum is widely used in the industrial applications in the form of molybdenum wire, rods, bars and sheets.

In molybdenite processing, in the beginning molybdenite is heated to 700 °C temperature and sulfide is oxidized into molybdenum(VI) oxide by air: Then, the oxidized ore is either heated to 1,100 °C to convert the oxide, or percolated with ammonia, which reacts with the molybdenum(VI) oxide to make water-dissolvable molybdates.

Copper is impure part of molybdenite and it cannot easily dissolved in ammonia. It is precipitated with hydrogen sulfide to entirely abstract it from the solution. The pristine (Pure) molybdenum is manufactured by diminution of the oxide with hydrogen, and the molybdenum for steel manufacturing is decrease by alumino thermic reaction.

The manufacturing of molybdenum of the whole world in 2011 was 250,000 tonnes. China is the biggest manufacturer with 94,000 tonnes, then United States (64,000 tonnes), Chile (38,000 tonnes), Peru (18,000 tonnes) and Mexico (12,000 tonnes). The gross availability is appx. 10 million tonnes and is mainly focused in China (4.3 mt), US (2.7 mt) and Chile (1.2 mt). North America, South America (Mostly in Chile) and China are producing 93% molybdenum of world's production. Europe & some Asian countries mainly Russia, Armenia, Iran and Mongolia are manufacturing the rest.

The main function of molybdenum in living beings is as a metal heteroatom at the operative place in some enzymes. In nitrogen fixation in some bacteria, the nitrogenase enzyme, which is concerned with transmission point of decreasing molecular nitrogen, normally includes molybdenum in the operative place (despite interchange of Mo with iron or vanadium is also recognized). The framework of catalytic center ofenzyme is same as in iron sulfur proteins: it contains a Fe4S3and various MFe4S3 clusters.

A fact about molybdenum was described in 2008 that a shortage of molybdenum in Earth.

The molybdenum obtain by human body is about 0.07 mg per kilogram of body weight. It exists in larger amount in the kidneys and liver and in smaller amount in the vertebrae. It is also exist in tooth enamel and save it from get it rotten. A human takes 0.12 mg to 0.24 mg of molybdenum everyday. The amount of molybdenum depends upon content of food. Pork, lamb and beef contains 1.5 parts per million of molybdenum. Eggs, green beans, wheat flour, sunflower, lentils, cereal grains and cucumbers are also important sources of molybdenum. Although severe perniciousness is not found in human body. But analysis made on animals has proved that intense absorption of more than 10 mg per day of molybdenum may cause diarrhea, growth retardation, infertility, low birth weight and gout and have also attack on kidneys, liver and lungs. Sodium tungstate is emulous moderator of molybdenum. Dietary tungsten decreases the volume of molybdenum in cells.

Molybdenum's contanminants, which may be produced from mining or metal processing, may be poisonous, particularly if consumed.To make a direct contact for a long time can be harmful for eyes and skin. Direct consumption of molybdenum and its oxides should be ignored. Direct contact to molybdenum is limited upto 5mg/m3 in a 8-hours day. Severe contact to 60 to 600 mg/m3 can be harmful for health and problems like joint pains, fatigue and headaches may be arise.