1916] TREATMENT OF MOLYBDENUM ORES IN CANADA 273 
the first Canadian operator to establish the molybdenum business on 
a commercial basis, therefore being the pioneer of this new industry. 
The Tivani Electric Steel Company of Belleville, Ontario, have 
commenced the manufacture of ferro-molybdenum quite recently, but 
so far have made no attempt to produce molybdic acid or ammonium 
molybdate. 
The manufacture of metallic molybdenum, ingot, molybdenum 
wire, molybdenum steels, etc., is not carried out in this country, but it 
is well within the range of possibility that, providing the mines are able 
to produce sufficient minerals to meet the demands of the market, 
all of these various lines of manufacturing will be entered into within 
the Dominion. 
I am unable at this time to give particulars of the manufacture of 
these molybdenum products, but it may be stated that Canadian ferro- 
molybdenum, molybdic acid and ammonium molybdate are now being 
marketed satisfactorily, and that the production of ferro-molybdenum 
up to the end of 1916 was in the neighbourhood of thirty tons. The 
value of the molybdic acid and ammonium molybdate manufactured 
at Orillia during 1916 is stated by the management of the International 
Company to be $18,867.35. 
Economic MOLYBDENUM MINERALS. 
Only two molybdenum minerals—molybdenite and wulfenite—are 
common enough to form molybdenum ores. 
Molybdenite: Molybdenite, the disulphide of molybdenum (MoS:), 
contains 59.95% molybdenum, and 40.05% sulphur. It is opaque, lead- 
grey, and has a metallic lustre and a greasy feel. It is so soft (hardness 
I to 1.5) that it soils the fingers readily, and leaves a bluish-grey trace 
on paper. On porcelain its streak is slightly greenish. The specific 
gravity ranges from 4.7 to 4.8. Molybdenite commonly occurs in 
flakes or scales, resembling those of some micas in the way that they 
may be split into thin leaves. Finely, granular and massive forms are 
also common. Molybdenite crystallizes in hexagonal form, with crystals 
being tabular, or short and slightly tapering prisms. 
Molybdenite is often confused with graphite, but may be easily 
distinguished because graphite is much lighter (specific gravity 2.09 to 
2.23). Heating a fragment of the mineral in an open tube will con- 
clusively settle any question as to its identity, for molybdenite gives 
strong sulphurous fumes, whereas graphite gives none. 
Molybdenite, on weathering, commonly forms molybdite, a hydrous 
ferric molybdate (Fe203— 3Mo03—7% H2O), which theoretically contains 
39.63% molybdenum. In colour, molybdite is a lemon-yellow to pale 
