The distribution features, main types and present situation of exploration and development for rhenium

This paper is the result of mineral exploration engineering.

Objective The global rhenium resources are unevenly distributed. Chile accounts for more than half of the total global rhenium resources, mainly from porphyry copper deposits. The type of rhenium deposit is closely related to its occurrence state. Since most of the rhenium ore is associated with other minerals, the classification of rhenium deposits has not yet formed a unified standard, which can not provide a basis for ore prospecting. Therefore, it is urgent to carry out relevant research.

Methods In this paper, from the perspective of global occurrence of rhenium deposits, ore types and other aspects, the enrichment and mineralization rules and deposit types of existing typical rhenium deposits are systematically sorted out and summarized, in order to provide ideas for the exploration and development of this type of deposits.

Results Rhenium deposits are divided into four types in this paper: rhenium in porphyry copper deposits, rhenium in sedimentary- type strata- bound copper deposits, rhenium in sandstone- type uranium deposits, and rhenium in skarn deposits. Among them, rhenium in porphyry deposits has the highest grade and largest reserves. In terms of metallogenic characteristics, the Yanshanian period is the most developed for rhenium mineralization, followed by the Himalayan, Indosinian, and Caledonian periods. Large associated rhenium deposits mainly developed in the Caledonian, Indosinian, Yanshanian and Himalayas. In terms of rhenium exploration, more than half of the proven rhenium reserves are from Chile, and the remaining major countries are the United States, Russia, Kazakhstan and Armenia in order. Regarding the development of rhenium ore, rhenium ore is likely to exist in porphyry copper deposits formed in a continental arc environment, and many countries have begun to recover rhenium from porphyry copper deposits.

Conclusions As an emerging resource, rhenium ore will play an active role in the implementation of energy saving, emission reduction, and carbon neutrality in the future. The exploration of independent rhenium deposits and the genetic mechanism of copper-molybdenum- rhenium associated deposits should be strengthened, and the secondary development and utilization of old mines should be emphasized.