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Old 21st Dec 2017, 14:17
  #10963 (permalink)  
Turbine D
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
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Thanks for the article Brat.

There isn't enough rhenium in the world to supply the needs of GE, CFMI, RR & P-W let alone the Chinese entering the market. Rhenium is a by-product of copper mining where the copper ore contains molybdenum, not all copper mines contain rhenium. For the ones that do, rhenium content in the copper ore is measured in parts per million, 15-30ppm is typical as I recall. If copper demand sinks, prices go down and some mines close because mining costs are higher than copper prices. It is a tough element to be dependent on for turbine airfoils, both from availability and cost viewpoints.
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