* 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 gm/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.
