AbstractTwo different arc plasma techniques are used for the thermal dissociation at high temperatures of molybdenumdisulfide into metallic molybdenum and elemental sulfur. One plasma technique allows the generation of a plasma flame characterised by a large section, a small directed velocity and a less steep radial temperature profile as compared to a plasma jet generated by a classical plasmatorch. The other plasma technique make use of the so called transferred arc procedure.Both methods allow the production of a high purity grade molybdenum metal but as far as the energy is concerned a combination of the two techniques in a two step procedure seems to be preferable.