Atomic properties
Market data
Raw material sources & pricing
| Raw Material Form | Re Content | Price Paid by Refiners | Major Sources | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Molybdenite Concentrate | 100-600 ppm Re | $15-25/kg Mo conc. | Chile, USA, Peru | Primary source, byproduct of Mo production |
| Copper Flue Dust | 0.1-0.5% Re | $200-500/kg dust | Chile, Peru | From roasting molybdenite in copper smelters |
| Spent Pt-Re Catalysts | 3-5% Re | $800-1,200/kg catalyst | USA, Europe, Asia | Recycled from petroleum refining |
| Superalloy Scrap | 3-6% Re | $500-800/kg scrap | USA, Europe, China | Recycled turbine blades and components |
Molybdenite (MoS₂) - Primary Source
Current Market Price: $35,000-42,000/kg Re (as ammonium perrhenate) Rhenium Content in Molybdenite: 0.001-0.02% (10-200 ppm) Major Global Reserves: Chile: 1,300 MT (52% of world reserves) - Highest Re content in porphyry copper deposits USA: 400 MT (16% of world reserves) - Arizona, Utah, New Mexico Peru: 200 MT (8% of world reserves) - Associated with copper mining Canada: 130 MT (5% of world reserves) Russia: 310 MT (12% of world reserves) 2025 Production Leaders: Chile: 28 MT (55% of global production) USA: 8.5 MT (17% of global production) Peru: 6 MT (12% of global production) Poland: 4.5 MT (9% of global production) Raw Material Form Re Content Price Paid by Refiners Major Sources Notes Molybdenite Concentrate 100-600 ppm Re $15-25/kg Mo conc. Chile, USA, Peru Primary source, byproduc
⚠️ Seawater Rhenium Extraction
Commercial Viability: NOT ECONOMICALLY VIABLE Concentration: 0.0001 ppm (4 ng/L) - among the lowest of all elements Chemical Form: ReO₄⁻ (perrhenate ion) Status: No commercial concentrated seawater rhenium form exists. The extremely low concentration (100,000 times less than uranium) makes extraction completely uneconomical. Note: Even experimental ion-exchange methods have proven impractical due to the ultra-trace concentrations.
Production cost analysis
| Cost Component | $/kg Rhenium | % of Total Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raw Material (MoS₂ processing) | $12,000-18,000 | 40-45% | Includes allocation of Mo roasting costs |
| Energy (Recovery & Refining) | $3,000-5,000 | 10-15% | Scrubbing, precipitation, reduction |
| Labor | $4,000-6,000 | 15-18% | Specialized technical expertise required |
| Chemicals & Consumables | $3,500-5,500 | 12-15% | Acids, ammonia, hydrogen |
| Equipment & Overhead | $5,500-8,000 | 18-20% | Specialized extraction equipment |
| Total Production Cost | $28,000-42,500 | 100% | Compare to selling price: $35,000-42,000/kg |
Energy consumption breakdown
| Process Stage | Energy Consumption | % of Total Energy | Energy Type | Key Operations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MoS₂ Roasting (Allocated) | 180-220 MJ/kg Re | 40% | Natural Gas | Oxidation at 550-650°C |
| Scrubbing & Recovery | 90-120 MJ/kg Re | 20% | Electricity | Wet scrubbing of Re₂O₇ vapors |
| Ion Exchange/Precipitation | 70-90 MJ/kg Re | 15% | Electricity/Steam | Selective recovery, crystallization |
| Hydrogen Reduction | 110-170 MJ/kg Re | 25% | Hydrogen/Electricity | Reduction at 300-1000°C |
Recovery Process Details
Roaster Gas Scrubbing: Capture Re₂O₇ from MoS₂ roasting Leaching: Dissolve Re compounds in water/ammonia Ion Exchange: Selective adsorption on resins Precipitation: As NH₄ReO₄ (ammonium perrhenate) Reduction: H₂ reduction to metal powder
Refining Process Details
Powder Consolidation: Pressing and sintering Zone Refining: For ultra-high purity (99.999%) Electron Beam Melting: For single crystals Chemical Vapor Deposition: For coatings Powder Metallurgy: For alloy production
Commercial forms & specifications
| Product Form | Chemical Formula | Molecular Weight | Typical Purity | Price Range (USD/kg) | Main Applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhenium Metal Powder | Re | 186.21 g/mol | 99.9-99.99% | $35,000-42,000 | Superalloys, catalysts |
| Rhenium Pellets | Re | 186.21 g/mol | 99.9-99.999% | $36,000-45,000 | Alloying, sputtering targets |
| Rhenium Rod/Wire | Re | 186.21 g/mol | 99.95-99.99% | $38,000-48,000 | Thermocouples, filaments |
| Rhenium Ribbon/Foil | Re | 186.21 g/mol | 99.95-99.99% | $40,000-52,000 | Mass spectrometry, electronics |
| Ammonium Perrhenate | NH₄ReO₄ | 268.24 g/mol | 99.9-99.99% | $26,000-32,000 | Re metal production, catalysts |
| Perrhenic Acid | HReO₄ | 251.21 g/mol | 65-70% solution | $28,000-35,000 | Catalyst preparation |
| Rhenium Heptoxide | Re₂O₇ | 484.41 g/mol | 99.9-99.99% | $30,000-38,000 | Catalyst precursor |
| Methyltrioxorhenium | CH₃ReO₃ | 249.24 g/mol | 98-99% | $85,000-120,000 | Organic synthesis catalyst |
| Re-W Alloy Wire | Re-W (3-26% Re) | Variable | 99.95% | $8,000-25,000 | Thermocouples |
| Pt-Re Catalyst | Pt-Re (1-5% Re) | Variable | Industrial grade | $50,000-80,000 | Petroleum reforming |
Suppliers by country
🇺🇸 United States
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Freeport-McMoRan | APR (ammonium perrhenate) | Integrated copper-molybdenum-rhenium producer |
| Rhenium Alloys, Inc. | Metal powder, pellets, wire, ribbon | High-purity rhenium products, custom alloys |
| ESPI Metals | Powder, pellets, foil, compounds | Research quantities, custom forms |
🇨🇱 Chile
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Molymet (Molibdenos y Metales) | APR, metallic rhenium, perrhenic acid | World's largest rhenium producer (70% market share) |
| Codelco | APR from copper operations | Integrated copper producer with Re recovery |
🇵🇱 Poland
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| KGHM Polska Miedź | APR, metallic rhenium | Europe's largest Re producer from copper operations |
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Kazakhmys | APR, rhenium compounds | Copper-molybdenum-rhenium producer |
🇩🇪 Germany
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| H.C. Starck Solutions | High-purity powder, fabricated products | Ultra-high purity rhenium, custom alloys |
| Heraeus | Powder, wire, catalysts | Precious metal expertise, recycling |
🇨🇳 China
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| China Molybdenum Co. (CMOC) | APR, rhenium powder | Integrated Mo-Re producer |
| Jiangxi Copper | APR from copper smelting | Copper producer with Re recovery |
Market demand by product form
| Application | Annual Consumption (MT) | % of Total | Key End Users | Growth Rate (CAGR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superalloys (Aerospace) | 45 | 78% | GE, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce | 6.5% |
| Petroleum Catalysts | 8 | 14% | ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell | 3.2% |
| Thermocouples | 2.5 | 4% | Omega Engineering, Watlow | 2.8% |
| Electrical Contacts | 1.5 | 3% | Electronics manufacturers | 2.5% |
| Other (Research, Medical) | 1 | 1% | Universities, hospitals | 4.0% |
Market trends
Supply Deficit: Demand exceeds production by ~7 MT, drawing down strategic stockpiles Aerospace Growth: New aircraft deliveries driving 6-7% annual demand growth for superalloys Recycling Expansion: Superalloy scrap recycling increasing, now 20% of supply Price Volatility: Prices fluctuating $30,000-45,000/kg based on aerospace cycles China Demand: Chinese aerospace sector consuming 15 MT annually, up from 8 MT in 2020 Substitution Research: Efforts to reduce Re content in superalloys showing limited success Strategic Metal Status: US, EU, Japan classify as critical material, building reserves ESG Concerns: Focus on responsible sourcing from copper mining operations
Moles per kilogram
| Product Form | Formula | MW (g/mol) | Moles/kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhenium Metal | Re | 186.21 | 5.37 |
| Ammonium Perrhenate | NH₄ReO₄ | 268.24 | 3.73 |
| Perrhenic Acid | HReO₄ | 251.21 | 3.98 |
| Rhenium Heptoxide | Re₂O₇ | 484.41 | 2.06 |
| Methyltrioxorhenium | CH₃ReO₃ | 249.24 | 4.01 |
References
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