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Rhenium Statistics and Information

By National Minerals Information Center

Statistics and information on the worldwide supply of, demand for, and flow of the mineral commodity rhenium
 

Rhenium (Re), the last naturally-occurring element to be discovered, was discovered in Germany in 1925.   The process was so complicated and the cost so high that production was discontinued until early 1950 when tungsten-rhenium and molybdenum-rhenium alloys were prepared.   These alloys found important applications in industry that resulted in a great demand for the rhenium produced from the molybdenite fraction of porphyry copper ores.   Important uses of rhenium have been in platinum-rhenium catalysts, used primarily in producing lead-free, high-octane gasoline and in high-temperature superalloys used for jet engine components.

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