Rhenium is a rare metallic element with high melting point and resistance to corrosion. It is used in metal alloys, electrical contacts, and as a catalyst. Rhenium is found in Chile, the US, and Kazakhstan and is sold in powder form. Its health effects are not fully known.
Rhenium is a metallic chemical element classified among the transition elements of the periodic table. This element is extremely rare and as a result does not have many applications. Consumers rarely interact with rhenium, although they may own products that contain the element. The primary sources of rhenium worldwide are Chile, the United States and Kazakhstan; pure rhenium tends to be quite expensive due to the rarity of the element.
The element is found in a mineral known as columbite and in some minerals, often in combination with platinum. When rhenium is isolated, it is an extremely dense, silvery-white metal. Rhenium has a high melting point, making it especially useful in certain applications. In trade, rhenium is usually sold in powder form. The element is identified by the symbol Re on the periodic table of elements and has atomic number 75.
This element was the last natural element to be discovered. In the early 20th century, chemists speculated about its existence, but it wasn’t until the 20th that rhenium was isolated and successfully described by Walter Noddack, Ida Tack and Otto Berg. The element gets its name from the Latin word for the River Rhine, a reference to Germany, the nation where the element was discovered.
Rhenium’s high melting point makes it valuable in some metal alloys and as a filament in lamps and gauges. Rhenium is also used for electrical contacts and can be used to make superconducting alloys. The element is extremely resistant to corrosion, making it a popular choice of catalyst for chemical reactions, especially in the petrochemical industry, where it is used to break hydrocarbons into shorter chains.
The health effects of this element are not fully known. When powdered, rhenium is flammable, and the powder has also been shown to be irritating, especially to the lungs, intestinal tract, and mucous membranes. Rhenium vapors can cause dizziness and the element does not appear to be biologically necessary. As a general rule, protection should be worn when working with rhenium to avoid exposure to dust, fumes and metal fragments.
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