Zechstein copper-bearing shales as a potential resource of rhenium in Poland

Abstract

Mineral raw materials are an essential component of the global economy for the development of new technologies. One such element is rhenium, whose unique properties have led to its numerous specialized applications, particularly in the aerospace industry. The Zechstein copper-bearing shale (Kupferschiefer) formation, which occurs in Germany and Poland, is a crucial rhenium resource. In the copper ore deposit exploited by KGHM Polska Miedź S.A., rhenium is concentrated significantly in the copper-bearing shales, with traces in the adjacent rocks. The maximum rhenium content in these shales reaches 15 ppm, with a mean content of 1.1 ppm. Rhenium resources in the mining areas have been estimated at 700 Mg, and similar values should be attributed to the prospective areas. In the long term, this means an effectively sustainable resource base for mining rhenium production by KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. The development of technology for the recovery of rhenium via acids flushing smelter gases has made it possible to set up appropriate installation units at the copper smelters of KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. and to produce ammonium perrhenate and metallic rhenium. Since 2006, Poland’s share in global rhenium mine production has been increasing significantly, currently reaching 9.5 Mg/year. For many years, the main producer of rhenium, with mine production of 27–30 Mg Re/year, has been Chile. We provide comprehensive data on the concentration of rhenium in the deposits currently exploited by KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. and in prospective areas in a context of global resources. We discuss: the production of rhenium by Europe’s only company extracting this metal from its own sources; its further prospects; the contemporary global market and its trends; and rhenium applications in the global economy