Molybdenum (often referred to as moly) is a metal that is gaining increasing significance in our industrial world. It has been discovered by Carl Wilhelm Scheele in 1778 and obtained the name from the Greek word molybdos or lead-like. In its pure state, molybdenum is a lustrous grey metal, somewhat heavier than iron but melting at a much higher temperature - 4730 degrees Fahrenheit as compared to 2795 for iron. .)