As mentioned, molybdenum is often mined as a by-product of copper and other metals. However, there are also mines in the molybdenum industry that focus specifically on the metal. For example, Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX) subsidiary Climax Molybdenum has two molybdenum-only mining operations in Colorado. They have the capacity to produce roughly 30 million pounds of molybdenum each year. Centerra Gold (TSX:CG,NYSE:CGAU) has two molybdenum mines that are on care and maintenance. The company acquired the mines via its 2016 purchase of Thompson Creek Metals Company. In February, Centerra stated that it is considering bringing the Thompson Creek mine back into production as global molybdenum prices have shown signs of improving. The company plans to conduct a prefeasibility study on the mine's restart, with publication targeted for Q3 2023. For its part, Taseko Mines (TSX:TKO,NYSEAMERICAN:TGB,LSE:TKO) produces molybdenum as a by-product from its 87.5 percent owned Gibraltar copper-molybdenum mine in South-Central BC. Other major firms that mine molybdenum as a by-product include Southern Copper (NYSE:SCCO) and Rio Tinto (NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO,ASX:RIO). It is also possible to invest in companies that are exploring or developing molybdenum projects. Some companies with molybdenum exploration projects are Starcore International Mines (TSX:SAM,OTCQB:SHVLF), Libero Copper & Gold (TSXV:LBC,OTCQB:LBCMF), Los Andes Copper (TSXV:LA,OTCQX:LSANF) and Latin Metals (TSXV:LMS,OTCQB:LMSQF), among others.