Small amounts of molybdenum are found in a wide variety of uses from missiles, engine parts, and drills, to electric heater filaments, ink for circuit boards and lubricants. Shepherd is able to tailor the properties of its compounds to meet the needs of the customer and application, including placing molybdenum on catalyst supports.

Organic molybdenum compounds are used as catalysts, nano-catalyst precursors, and in lubricant additives. Molybdenum disulfide is widely used in lubricants owing to its plate-like structure and ability to handle heat without decomposing or catching fire. Molybdenum is also a key component of refinery desulfurization catalysts.

Molybdenum, a silvery white metal with a gray cast, has one of the highest melting points of any element. Only tungsten and tantalum have higher melting points. Molybdenum does not occur naturally as a free metal on Earth, but is found only in various oxidation states in minerals. It readily forms hard, stable carbides in alloys, and for this reason most of world production of the element (about 80%) is used in steel alloys, including high-strength alloys and superalloys.

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