Molybdenum is a very hard material, but is softer and a bit more ductile than tungsten ~ which makes it easier to machine. And like tungsten, molybdenum is known for its incredibly high melting point [4,753 °F]. Molybdenum has one of the lowest coefficients of thermal expansion and is nominally less expensive than tungsten. As a result, the material is used in applications where tungsten is desired, but its cost prohibitive.