Although first isolated in 1781, molybdenum did not become commercially significant until World War I when it was first used the plating of tanks. Today, molybdenum – or “moly” – has a wide-range of applications due to its ability to withstand extreme temperatures without expanding or softening. The largest producers of molybdenum are the United States, Canada, China, Chile and Peru. In the commercial metal world, Molybdenum graduated in 2008 when it began being traded on the London Metal Exchange.