Molybdenum is a silver-grey colored metal that is hard, malleable, and ductile in nature with excellent strength at high temperature, high melting point, and high thermal conductivity. It is highly resistant to heat, which makes it useful in the production of alloys of iron and steel. Molybdenum is extracted from molybdenite and the major molybdenite deposits are in the U.S., China, Canada, and Chile. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), China, Chile, the U.S., Peru, Mexico, and Armenia accounted approximately 95% of total global molybdenum production in descending order.