Patent ID: 8147586

Claim:
A method for producing molybdenum metal powder, comprising: introducing a supply of ammonium molybdate precursor material into a furnace in a first direction; introducing a reducing gas into a cooling zone of the furnace in a second direction, the second direction being in a direction opposite to the first direction; heating the ammonium molybdate precursor material at an initial temperature in the presence of the reducing gas to produce an intermediate product; heating the intermediate product at a final temperature in the presence of a reducing gas, thereby creating the molybdenum metal powder comprising particles having a surface area to mass ratio of between about 1 m 2 /g and about 4 m 2 /g, as determined by BET analysis, wherein at least 90% of the molybdenum metal powder particles have a particle size larger than a size 325 standard Tyler mesh sieve; and moving the molybdenum metal powder through the cooling zone.