Extra Core Competence: Rhenium
Rhenium (Re) is rare, silvery white in colour with a metallic luster and is a dense transition metal. Alloys containing rhenium are used predominantly to manufacture jet engine parts (super alloys) and to make lead-free, high-octane petrol (platinum-rhenium catalysts).
Rhenium was detected as late as 1925, and has only been produced in large quantities since 1950. The world's largest reserves of ore deposits containing rhenium are to be found in the USA, Kazakhstan and Chile.
Even if rhenium does not directly belong to the inner circle group of precious metals, Heraeus has been recycling it for several decades in both the Santa Fe Springs and Hanau plants. Rhenium is recycled from Pt/Re catalysts, as well as from Re wastes and alloying scrap, super alloys and impure ammonium perrhenate.
To deal specifically with these materials Heraeus has developed unique and extremely effective processes.
Heraeus offers various rhenium-products such as pellets and ammonium perrhenate as sold by our Business Unit Chemical Products.
