A fairly sensitive and selective method for rapid determination of tracer amounts of molybdenum(V) as mixed-ligand complexes with thiocyanate and 4-unsubstituted-5-pyrazolones is described. The red complexes are extractable into chloroform from 1-5M hydrochloric or perchloric acid or 1-3M sulphuric arid media. The molar absorptivities are in the range 1.72-2.15 x 10(4)l.mole(-1).cm(-1) at 455 nm (lambda(max)). The method has been applied to the estimation of molybdenum in various synthetic and alloy-steel samples. In presence of excess of the reagent, Cu(II), Co(II), Mn(II), Fe(II), Fe(III), Al(III), Cr(III), Cr(VI), Ti(III), Ti(IV), Zr(IV), Hf(IV), V(III), V(IV), V(V), Nb(V), Ta(V), W(VI) and U(VI) do not interfere.