IMOA’s largest-ever AGM concludes a successful year

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18/09/2026

IMOA was delighted to welcome a record 180 delegates, representing 64 member organizations to our 38^th AGM in Salt Lake City, USA.

During the event, the Association ratified and welcomed the following three members:

• Luonan County Jiulong Mining Co., Ltd - a primary molybdenum mining company based in Shaanxi Province, China.
• AMG Critical Minerals N.V. - a global recycler specializing in the recycling and processing of spent HDS catalysts.
• Trafigura Pte. Ltd - a global commodities trading company.

This takes our membership to 81 and includes global mining, processing, recycling, end users, assaying, and logistics providers.

Following the successful event, Secretary-General Eva Model said:

"IMOA's AGM, the largest global gathering of the molybdenum industry, was an excellent week, marked by great company, valuable conversations and many interesting insights.

"Throughout the event, we were delighted to hear from a diverse range of leading experts on topics impacting the molybdenum industry.

"Our AGM presentation program opened with Nate Foster, Managing Director of Rio Tinto Kennecott, taking members on an insightful journey through Kennecott's end-to-end integrated mining and metals production chain, covering the mine, concentrator, smelter, refinery, tailings, and rail transport.

"IMOA consultant, Prof Hardy Mohrbacher gave us an insightful look at molybdenum's critical role in defense applications. He explored both past and emerging uses, from armour plate and security steels to aerospace alloys, missiles, and electronics. He also highlighted the defense industry's strategic raw material needs and the importance of molybdenum to the European defence supply chain. As Hardy has highlighted before, molybdenum is the "backbone of hardenability" - making it a critical material for defense and many other demanding applications.

"Our members are particularly interested in market insight, so we were pleased to feature several presentations this year, exploring the market dynamics for molybdenum.

"I enjoyed hearing Alan Clark of CM Business Consulting speak about the key drivers that are shaping China's molybdenum market and the implications for domestic and global supply and demand over the medium to long term. He explained how demand growth continues to be underpinned by the energy transition and infrastructure investment, while supply growth remains constrained.

"I was interested to hear Ian Lange of the Colorado School of Mines, present on the macroeconomic situation in the US. He explained how the US economy is holding up well with positive GDP growth and inflation under control.

"Markus Moll, from SMR, provided a comprehensive analysis of the demand-side dynamics in the global molybdenum market for 2025, an update on the scrap analysis (including molybdenum scrap sources and the share of total molybdenum scrap), and an updated 10-year forecast through to 2035. Against a backdrop of global macroeconomics, Markus reiterated how well diversified molybdenum is in terms of its first and end uses, making the industry more resilient.

"Jim Lennon offered his usual insightful view of molybdenum supply and demand. He indicated a tight supply/demand balance, impacted by limited new supply and continued high demand, and import trends in China.

"I was fascinated to hear IMOA Consultant Veronika Matheson of RJ Matheson Consultants give us first-hand insight into the world of architecture. She explained how a successful project incorporating stainless steel can become a reference point for future projects. She highlighted how the properties of stainless steel, when fabricated correctly, make it an ideal material for modern and sustainable architecture and why it features so prominently in many iconic buildings around the world today."

Furthermore, we heard from Anne-Marie Suriano of Rio Tinto who explained why molybdenum is an essential micronutrient for all plant species, supporting normal growth and development. IMOA's Technical Director Nicole Kinsman explained how our work programs are designed to grow molybdenum demand by focusing on high-impact areas where molybdenum solves a problem - using education to unlock demand. She provided an interesting insight on the topic of substitution, including the challenges and opportunities it presents. Nicole provided an update on some of the key projects, including excellent progress in the stainless steel service lines project, to address water leakage.

Finally, IMOA's HSE Executives Sandra Carey and Ruth Danzeisen provided an overview of IMOA's HSE activities, highlighting significant achievements and milestones from 2025/26. Both emphasized how the Association's commitment to developing robust scientific datasets over the past 20 years has contributed to positive regulatory achievements and milestones.

Eva Model concluded:

"Our record-breaking AGM was a fitting conclusion to an exceptionally successful year for IMOA. We look forward to building on this momentum by growing our membership and strengthening our community in the year ahead."

General information for media

• IMOA's Annual Review offers more information on IMOA's work and achievements
• IMOA is a non profit trade association, representing the majority of the molybdenum industry worldwide. It works to raise awareness about the unique properties of molybdenum, its beneficial effects on materials performance, its safety in use and its contribution to sustainable development.
• Molybdenum is added to alloy steels to improve strength, toughness, hardenability and weldability for numerous applications in the automotive, shipbuilding, construction, mining, chemical, oil & gas and energy generation industries. In stainless steels and superalloys, it improves corrosion resistance and high-temperature performance and finds uses in many industrial applications. It is also used in a variety of products from catalysts and lubricants to pigments and paint.
• IMOA has a strict antitrust compliance policy which delegates of all meetings are required to observe. All such meetings are observed by legal counsel.
• For more information please email the communications team at [email protected].
• For up-to-date information please follow IMOA on LinkedIn.

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