A History Of Rhenium

Posted on by Brian Colwell

Rhenium stands as one of the rarest and most remarkable elements in the periodic table, distinguished by its extraordinary properties and unique discovery story. As the last stable, naturally-occurring element to be discovered, rhenium’s journey from theoretical prediction to practical application spans over a century of scientific advancement. With one of the highest melting points of all elements (3,186°C) and exceptional resistance to corrosion, this silvery-white transition metal has become indispensable in modern aerospace and petrochemical industries. Despite its average crustal abundance of less than one part per billion, rhenium’s strategic importance in superalloys and catalysts has made it a critical material for contemporary technology, particularly in jet engine components and petroleum refining processes.

Find interesting facts about rhenium here. Be sure to check out all other critical raw materials (CRMs), as well.

A History Of Rhenium

The history of rhenium encompasses over a century of scientific discovery, industrial development, and technological innovation. From its initial prediction by Mendeleev to its current status as a critical material in aerospace and petrochemical applications, rhenium’s story reflects the evolution of modern chemistry and materials science. This chronological account traces the element’s journey from laboratory curiosity to industrial necessity, highlighting the key discoveries, technological breakthroughs, and market developments that have shaped its role in contemporary society.

Chronology

  • 1869-1871 – Dmitri Mendeleev predicted the existence of rhenium (element 75) as chemically related to manganese when creating the periodic table; the existence of rhenium was predicted based on two vacant slots below manganese on the periodic table of elements [1, 2]
  • 1905 – Masataka Ogawa discovered rhenium in the mineral thorianite while working in England, though he misidentified it at the time as element 43 [3, 4]
  • 1908 – Masataka Ogawa announced his discovery of element 43 and named it nipponium (Np) after Japan, though he had actually found rhenium (element 75) instead [5, 3]
  • 1919 – Masataka Ogawa isolated rhenium, though still believing it to be element 43 [6]
  • 1925 – Walter Noddack, Ida Tacke (later Ida Noddack), and Otto Berg correctly identified rhenium (element 75) in Germany, detecting rhenium spectroscopically in platinum ore and columbite; they named the element “rhenium” after the Latin name for the Rhine River (Rhenus) in Europe; they also found rhenium in gadolinite and molybdenite minerals; rhenium was found to have an average abundance of less than one part per billion in the continental crust; rhenium was established as the last stable, non-radioactive, naturally-occurring element to be discovered [5, 7, 8, 1, 4, 9, 10, 2, 11]
  • 1928 – Noddack, Tacke, and Berg extracted 1 gram of rhenium by processing 660 kilograms of molybdenite containing rhenium; rhenium first traded commercially at US$10,000 per kilogram of metal [5, 12]
  • 1950s – Production of rhenium was resumed after being discontinued due to high costs when tungsten-rhenium and molybdenum-rhenium alloys were developed for various applications [13]
  • 1966 – Rhenium Alloys, Inc. was founded in Elyria, Ohio, beginning business with high-quality fine gauge rhenium wire [14, 15]
  • 1968 – It was estimated that 75% of the rhenium metal in the United States was used for research and development of rhenium-containing refractory metal alloys; H.E. Kluksdahl received U.S. Patent 3415737 for rhenium-containing reforming catalyst improvements [5, 16]
  • 1971 – Continuous catalyst regeneration process for catalytic reforming was introduced, utilizing platinum-rhenium catalysts [17]
  • 1976 – A new Rheniforming catalyst containing rhenium, Type E, was developed that was more active, stable, and selective than previous rhenium catalysts [18]
  • 1977 – R.E. Rausch received U.S Patent 694872 for rhenium catalyst developments [16]
  • 1980s – Rhenium prices peaked over $3,000 per kilogram in 1980 due to new US and European clean air laws increasing demand for rhenium catalysts in high-octane lead-free gasoline production; by the late 1980s, rhenium became critical for rhenium-containing superalloys used in turbine blades and rhenium catalysts for lead-free gasoline production [11, 2]
  • 1996 – Rhenium prices dropped to lows of $300 per kilogram when new rhenium supplies from Eastern Europe entered the market after the Soviet Union collapse [11]
  • 1997 – Ward and Dillard reviewed information on rhenium recycling from secondary rhenium sources [19]
  • 2003 – Rhenium prices were $1,000-$2,000 per kilogram, beginning a period of rapid increase for rhenium [5, 12]
  • 2006 – 77% of rhenium consumption in the United States was in rhenium alloys, with rhenium consumption divided as 28% General Electric, 28% Rolls-Royce, 12% Pratt & Whitney for rhenium superalloys, and 14% for rhenium catalysts [5]
  • 2007 – Consumption of rhenium in Europe peaked at 9,000 kg of rhenium [20]
  • 2008 – Rhenium prices reached an all-time high of US$10,600 per kilogram (US$4,800 per pound) and peaked at over $10,000 per kilogram during the commodities boom due to aerospace and catalyst demand for rhenium; U.S. rhenium consumption reached 52,200 kg, representing 5.4% annual growth in rhenium use over nine years [5, 12, 20]
  • 2009 – Primary rhenium production totaled 41,200 kg, a 10% drop from 45,600 kg of rhenium in 2008; almost two-thirds of primary rhenium production was carried out in Chile [20]
  • 2010 – Rhenium traded at about $4,000-4,500 per kilogram after rhenium price corrections [12]
  • 2011 – Estimates calculated rhenium content in Alaska’s Pebble deposit at roughly 0.45 g/t rhenium, equating to around 2.9 million kilograms of rhenium worth US$6.4 billion [21]
  • 2015 – Forecast expected rhenium spot prices to reach US$6,500-7,500 per kilogram of rhenium [20]
  • 2018 – Rhenium prices had dropped to US$2,844 per kilogram (US$1,290 per pound) due to increased rhenium recycling and reduced rhenium catalyst demand; USGS noted Alaska’s Pebble deposit contained rhenium resources representing more than 40 years of worldwide rhenium mine production [5, 21]
  • 2019 – Global primary rhenium production was 53.2 tons of rhenium according to USGS estimates; rhenium consumption reached approximately 75 tons of rhenium globally [22]
  • 2021 – Rhenium prices dropped below $2,000 per kilogram as recycled rhenium materials increased worldwide rhenium supply by 50% [11]
  • 2022 – Chile produced approximately 32.3 metric tons of rhenium, being the largest rhenium producer globally; United States produced 8.87 metric tons of rhenium, ranking second in global rhenium production; global production volume of rhenium reached 54 metric tons, an increase of almost 28% in rhenium output compared to 2021 [23, 24]
  • 2023 – Scientific assessment estimated global rhenium resources at 55,000-140,000 tons of rhenium, with best estimate of 83,000 tons of rhenium, 3-4 times previous rhenium estimates [25]
  • 2024 – Current global demand estimated at only 50 tons of rhenium per year [25]
  • 2025 – Rhenium price reached $3,151 per kilogram, up 26.75% since start of year and 57.94% year-over-year for rhenium; annual global rhenium production remains between 40-50 tons with additional 25 tons from rhenium recycling; rhenium continues to be extracted primarily as byproduct from molybdenum roaster-flue dusts containing rhenium from copper-sulfide ores [11, 26]

Final Thoughts

Rhenium’s journey from Mendeleev’s theoretical prediction to its current status as a critical industrial material exemplifies the intersection of scientific discovery and technological necessity. As the last stable element to be discovered, rhenium has transitioned from laboratory curiosity to strategic resource, with its unique properties making it irreplaceable in high-temperature aerospace applications and petroleum refining catalysts. The element’s extreme rarity, complex extraction process, and dependence on copper and molybdenum mining continue to influence its availability and pricing.

Looking forward, while recycling has helped stabilize supply, and new resource assessments suggest larger reserves than previously thought, rhenium’s future remains tied to advancing aerospace technology and the ongoing demand for high-performance materials that can withstand extreme conditions. The history of rhenium serves as a compelling reminder of how rare elements can become cornerstones of modern technology.

Thanks for reading!

References

[1] Rhenium | Chemical Element, Alloying Agent | Britannica – https://www.britannica.com/science/rhenium

[2] Rhenium: a rare metal critical in modern transportation | U.S. Geological Survey – https://www.usgs.gov/publications/rhenium-a-rare-metal-critical-modern-transportation

[3] Rhenium | Re Properties, Atomic Number & Uses | Study.com – https://study.com/academy/lesson/rhenium-uses-history-facts-isotopes.html

[4] Rhenium – Element information, properties and uses | Periodic Table – https://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/75/rhenium

[5] Rhenium – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhenium

[6] Rhenium – Discovery, Properties, Isotopes and Uses – https://www.vedantu.com/chemistry/rhenium

[7] Recognizing rhenium | Nature Chemistry – https://www.nature.com/articles/nchem.717

[8] Facts About Rhenium | Live Science – https://www.livescience.com/39042-facts-about-rhenium.html

[9] WebElements Periodic Table » Rhenium » historical information – https://www.webelements.com/rhenium/history.html

[10] Rhenium – https://periodic.lanl.gov/75.shtml

[11] Rhenium Price – Historical Prices – 2025 Forecast – How to Buy – https://strategicmetalsinvest.com/rhenium-prices/

[12] 2000s commodities boom – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000s_commodities_boom

[13] The Future of Rhenium – https://www.designworldonline.com/the-future-of-rhenium/

[14] Welcome to Rhenium Alloys, Inc. – https://rhenium.com/

[15] About Rhenium Alloys – https://rhenium.com/about-rhenium-alloys.html

[16] Catalytic Reforming | SpringerLink – https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-662-05981-4_4

[17] Catalytic Reforming Processes | FSC 432: Petroleum Refining – https://www.e-education.psu.edu/fsc432/content/catalytic-reforming-processes

[18] Catalytic-reforming advances boost process efficiency. [New Rheniforming catalyst] (Journal Article) | OSTI.GOV – https://www.osti.gov/biblio/7340489-catalytic-reforming-advances-boost-process-efficiency-new-rheniforming-catalyst

[19] Review of rhenium extraction and recycling technologies from primary and secondary resources – ScienceDirect – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0892687520305392

[20] Rhenium Market Reliant on Aerospace for Recovery – https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rhenium-market-reliant-on-aerospace-for-recovery-99473699.html

[21] Rhenium – the hot superalloy element – North of 60 Mining News – https://www.miningnewsnorth.com/page/rhenium-the-hot-superalloy-element/5748.html

[22] The availability of primary rhenium as a by-product of copper and molybdenum mining | Mineral Economics – https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13563-023-00392-0

[23] Rhenium global production volume by country | Statista – https://www.statista.com/statistics/1312513/rhenium-production-volume-worldwide-by-country/

[24] Rhenium production volume worldwide | Statista – https://www.statista.com/statistics/1312504/rhenium-production-volume-worldwide/

[25] Rhenium mineral resources: A global assessment – ScienceDirect – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301420723001496

[26] Rhenium – https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/pp1802P