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Rhenium Statistics and Information

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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