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Ferromolybdenum is a crude alloy of iron and molybdenum. It is used to add molybdenum to iron or steel. Molybdenum itself is a refractory metal that imparts superior strength to steel and other alloys at high temperatures. When alloyed with other metals, molybdenum enhances hardenability, toughness, tensile strength, and creep resistance. Small amounts of molybdenum can significantly improve abrasion resistance, corrosion resistance, and high-temperature strength and toughness in materials. Ferromolybdenum is produced by either a metallothermic or carbon-reduction process in electric furnaces. The metallothermic process is more common, using aluminum and silicon for the reduction of technical molybdic oxide and iron oxide. Ferromolybdenum typically contains at least 60 percent molybdenum.123

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