3. Uses, consumption, market

Uses

Rhenium's earliest use was in platinum pen tips: by incorporating 2% Re into platinum, its resistance to wear was increased. Later, because of its resistance to high temperatures, rhenium was used in electrical contactors, thermoelectric couples and heating elements.

In the late 1960s, Chevron and UOP, independently and simultaneously, discovered that rhenium increased the service life of reforming catalysts, especially when operating under the extreme conditions required for the production of high-octane, unleaded gasoline. In 1968, before its use in catalysts, rhenium was used in the United States at a rate of around 1 t/year. Three years later, 4 t were used, rising to 6.5 t in 1978. By this time, rhenium recycling from spent platinum catalysts was reducing consumption. In addition, Pt-Re catalysts were replaced...