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Rhenium

Formula:
Re
System:Hexagonal
Name:Named after the Rhine River.


Originally described as tiny grains in wolframite from a Russian locality (Rafalson & Sorokin, 1976). Later discredited because of uncertain origin. Also observed as microscopic grains (no size given) in calcium- and aluminum-rich inclusions in the Allende Meteorite, a carbonaceous chondrite.

Classification of Rhenium

IMA status:Discredited 1987
Strunz 8th edition ID:1/A.13-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:1.AB.05

1 : ELEMENTS (Metals and intermetallic alloys; metalloids and nonmetals; carbides, silicides, nitrides, phosphides)
A : Metals and Intermetallic Alloys
B : Zinc-brass family
Dana 7th edition ID:1.2.2.3
Dana 8th edition ID:1.2.2.4

1 : NATIVE ELEMENTS AND ALLOYS
2 : Platinum Group Metals and Alloys
Hey's CIM Ref.:1.56

1 : Elements and Alloys (including the arsenides, antimonides and bismuthides of Cu, Ag and Au)
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Physical Properties of Rhenium

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque

Crystallography of Rhenium

Crystal System:Hexagonal

Chemical Properties of Rhenium

Formula:
Re
Essential elements:Re
All elements listed in formula:Re
Analyical Data:
Allende Meteorite
Re     97.
Ru      3.
Total 100.
Empirical Formula:
Re
Common Impurities:Ru

Relationship of Rhenium to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
1.AB.05Cadmium
Cd
1.AB.05Zinc
Zn
1.AB.05Titanium
Ti
1.AB.10Danbaite
CuZn
 
2
1.AB.10Zhanghengite
CuZn
1.AB.10Brass
Cu
 
3
Zn
1.AB.10Tongxinite
Cu
 
2
Zn
1.AB.10Zinccopperite
Cu
 
7
Zn
 
4
 (?)
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
1.1Copper
Cu
1.2Silver
Ag
1.5Gold
Au
1.6Auricupride
Cu
 
3
Au
1.7Tetra-auricupride
AuCu
1.8Zinc
Zn
1.9Cadmium
Cd
1.10Danbaite
CuZn
 
2
1.11Zhanghengite
CuZn
1.12Mercury
Hg
1.13Kolymite
Cu
 
7
Hg
 
6
1.14Moschellandsbergite
Ag
 
2
Hg
 
3
1.15Eugenite
Ag
 
11
Hg
 
2
1.16Schachnerite
Ag
 
1.1
Hg
 
0.9
1.17Paraschachnerite
Ag
 
3
Hg
 
2
1.18Luanheite
Ag
 
3
Hg
1.19Weishanite
(Au,Ag)
 
3
Hg
 
2
1.20Indium
In
1.21Aluminium
Al
1.22Khatyrkite
(Cu,Zn)Al
 
2
1.23Cupalite
(Cu,Zn)Al
1.24Diamond
C
1.25Graphite
C
1.26Chaoite
C
1.27Lonsdaleite
C
1.28Silicon
Si
1.29Tin
Sn
1.30Lead
Pb
1.31Anyuiite
Au(Pb,Sb)
 
2
1.31Novodneprite
AuPb
 
3
1.32Leadamalgam
HgPb
 
2
1.33Arsenic
As
1.34Arsenolamprite
As
1.35Paxite
CuAs
 
2
1.36Koutekite
Cu
 
5
As
 
2
1.37Domeykite
Cu
 
3
As
1.38Algodonite
(Cu
 
1-x
As
 
x
)
1.39Novakite
Cu
 
20
AgAs
 
10
1.40Kutinaite
Cu
 
2
AgAs
1.41Antimony
Sb
1.42Stibarsen
AsSb
1.43Paradocrasite
Sb
 
3
As
1.44Horsfordite
1.45Cuprostibite
Cu
 
2
(Sb,Tl)
1.46Allargentum
(Ag
 
1-x
Sb
 
x
)
1.47Aurostibite
AuSb
 
2
1.48Dyscrasite
Ag
 
3
Sb
1.49Bismuth
Bi
1.50Maldonite
Au
 
2
Bi
1.51Sulphur
S
 
8
1.52Rosickýite
S
1.53Selenium
Se
1.54Tellurium
Te
1.55Chromium
Cr
1.57Iron
Fe
1.58Chromferide
Fe
 
3
Cr
 
1-x
 (x=0.6)
1.59Ferchromide
Cr
 
1.5
Fe
 
0.5-x
1.60Wairauite
CoFe
1.61Nickel
Ni
1.62Kamacite
(Fe,Ni)
1.63Taenite
(Fe,Ni)
1.64Tetrataenite
FeNi
1.65Awaruite
Ni
 
3
Fe
1.66Palladium
(Pd,Pt)
1.67Potarite
PdHg
1.68Paolovite
Pd
 
2
Sn
1.69Stannopalladinite
(Pd,Cu)
 
3
Sn
 
2
1.70Cabriite
Pd
 
2
SnCu
1.71Taimyrite
(Pd,Cu,Pt)
 
3
Sn
1.72Atokite
(Pd,Pt)
 
3
Sn
1.73Rustenburgite
(Pt,Pd)
 
3
Sn
1.74Zvyagintsevite
(Pd,Pt,Au)
 
3
(Pb,Sn)
1.75Plumbopalladinite
Pb
 
2
Pd
 
3
1.76Osmium
(Os,Ir,Ru)
1.77Iridium
(Ir,Os,Ru)
1.82Platinum
Pt
1.83Hongshiite
PtCu
1.84Niggliite
PtSn
1.85Isoferroplatinum
Pt
 
3
Fe
1.86Tetraferroplatinum
PtFe
1.87Tulameenite
Pt
 
2
CuFe
1.88Ferronickelplatinum
Pt
 
2
FeNi
1.89Rhodium
(Rh,Pt)
Related Minerals - Dana Grouping):
1.2.2.1Osmium
(Os,Ir,Ru)
1.2.2.2Ruthenium
(Ru,Ir)

Other Names for Rhenium

Russian names:
Рений

Other Information

Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

References for Rhenium

Reference List:Rafalson M.B. & Sorokin N.D. (1976): Determination of native rhenium in wolframites by method of X-ray spectral analysis. Voprosy geochimii i tipomorphisma mineralov, v.1, 62-66 (in Russ.).

El Goresy, A., Nagel, K., Dominik, B., and Ramdohr, P. (1977) Fremdlinge: Potential Presolar Material in Ca, Al rich inclusions of Allende, Meteoritics, vol 12, pp 215-216.

American Mineralogist (1978): 63: 1283-1284.

American Mineralogist (1987): 72, 1040, Appendix 1 [discreditation]

Transactions (Doklady) of the USSR Academy of Sciences, Earth Science Sections 382 (2002), 83 [Occurrence, Chemistry].

Transactions (Doklady) of the USSR Academy of Sciences, Earth Science Sections 395A (2004), 448 [Occurrence]

Bogatikov, O.A., A.V. Mokhov, P.M. Kartashov, A.I. Gorshkov, E.V. Koporulina, L.O. Magazina & N.A. Ashikhmina (2004) Microparticles of ore minerals found in Lunar regolith from Mare Fecundidatis: (Cu,A,Ag)4Zn, Ag, Au, Sn, Pb, Sb, Re, MoS2, CdS, AuS, RhI3, - Doklady, Russian Academy of Sciences, Earth Sciences Section,v. 395, N6, pp. 803-807 (in Rus.).

A.V. Mokhov, O.A. Bogatikov, P.M. Kartashov, A.I. Gorshkov, E.V. Koporulina, L.O. Magazina & N.A. Ashikhmina (2006): Rhenium oxide, potassium perrhenate, iron and aluminium hydroxychlorides, barite, and celestine in lunar regolith. Doklady, Russian Academy of Sciences, Earth Sciences Section, 407A, 460–464.

Internet Links for Rhenium

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    Localities for Rhenium

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    The map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
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    (TL) indicates type locality. ? indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. All other localities listed without reference should be considered as uncertain and unproven until references can be found.
    Mexico
     
    • Chihuahua
      • Pueblito de Allende
    		El Goresy, A., Nagel, K., Dominik, B., and Ramdohr, P. (1977) Fremdlinge: Potential Presolar Material in Ca, Al rich inclusions of Allende, Meteoritics, vol 12, pp 215-216.
    Russia
     
    • Eastern-Siberian Region
    		Rafalson M.B. & Sorokin N.D. (1976): Determination of native rhenium in wolframites by method of X-ray spectral analysis. Voprosy geochimii i tipomorphisma mineralov, v.1, 62-66 (in Russ.).
    • Urals Region
      • Southern Urals
        • Bashkiria republic
    		Vikentyev I.V. e.a. (2004) Gold and PGE in massive sulfide ore of the Uzelginsk deposit, Southern Urals, Russia, - Can. Miner., v.42, p.2, pp.651-665.
    The Moon
    www.informnauka.ru/eng/sci-2003-01_e.shtml.
    www.informnauka.ru/eng/sci-2003-01_e.shtml.
    • Mare Crisium
    		Mokhov A.V., Kartashov P.M., Bogatikov O.A. (2007) Moon under a microscope, - Moscow, Nauka, p.128 (in Rus.).
    Mokhov A.V., Kartashov P.M., Bogatikov O.A. (2007) Moon under a microscope, - Moscow, Nauka, p.128 (in Rus.).
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