RHENIUM (RE)

last update 01 oct 08

* Rhenium is a member of the transition metals family:

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   RHENIUM / Re / 75

   A silvery, very hard metal with fair resistance to corrosion,
   rarely seen in bulk form because it is scarce and difficult to
   extract.  Two isotopes are found in nature:  Re<187/75> (63%),
   which is weakly radioactive with a halflife of 4.5E10 years, and
   Re<185/75> (37%), which is stable.

     atomic weight:       186.207
     abundance:           77th (very rare)
     density:             21.02 g/cc
     melting point:       3,180 C
     boiling point:       5,627 C
     valence:             -1 1 2 3 4 5 <6> 7
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Rhenium is produced at the level of a few tonnes each year. It is used in alloys with tungsten and molybdenum to make filaments for ovens and lamps, and used in alloys for thermocouples used to perform high-temperature measurements. It is also used as a catalyst and has been used in jewelry.