Rhenium: Criticality

Why the US added rhenium in 2025 and Europe did not

What this tab covers How exposed economies are to a supply disruption: the EU, US and India listings, the concentration score, and a quantified exposure for the US, EU, India, China, Japan, Latin America, the Middle East and Australia. Where the EU scored it, a chart of supply risk against economic importance, with import reliance, recycling input and substitutes.

Exposure by region

Region	Exposure	Share of world output	Share of world imports	Share of world exports	Net trade (US$)	On own critical list	Position
US	n/a	12.0%	–	–	–	Yes	Produced 9,800 kg in 2025 and leads in recycling, but imported 75% of its needs and added rhenium to its 2025 critical minerals list (USGS 2026).
EU	n/a	9.1%	–	–	–	No	Poland produces about 10,000 kg a year and the EU recycles at a 50% end-of-life input rate, so rhenium is not on the EU critical list (EU CRM 2023; USGS 2026).
India	n/a	0.0%	–	–	–	Yes	Produces no rhenium, imports it in catalysts and superalloys, and lists it as critical (India 2023 list).
China	n/a	3.5%	–	–	–	No	Produces about 20,000 kg a year with 200,000 kg of reserves, the second-largest producer (USGS 2026).
Japan	n/a	0.0%	–	–	–	Yes	Has no primary output but recycles superalloy scrap (USGS 2026).
Latin America	n/a	70.4%	–	–	–	no list	Chile is the largest producer, about 30,000 kg in 2025 with 1,300,000 kg of reserves, and Molymet also roasts concentrate from Mexico and Peru (USGS 2026).
Middle East	n/a	0.0%	–	–	–	no list	No rhenium production is reported (USGS 2026).
Australia	n/a	0.0%	–	–	–	Yes	No rhenium production is reported (USGS 2026).

Exposure rating: High when the region is a net importer whose import share is at least three times its share of world output (or, for farm goods, it produces under 70% of what it consumes); Medium for other net importers (or 70-95% self-sufficiency), raised to High when world supply is highly concentrated in another country; Low for net exporters or self-sufficient regions. Net importer status uses tonnage where reported, otherwise value. Output: World Mining Data, 2024. Trade: UN Comtrade (EU = sum of member states, including intra-EU trade). Critical lists: US 2025, EU 2024/1252, India 2023, China 2016 strategic minerals, Japan METI, Australia 2024.

Rhenium was added to the US critical minerals list in November 2025, and India's 2023 list includes it. The EU does not list it, scoring supply risk at only 0.5 and economic importance 2.3, despite 92% import reliance. Humphreys questions the EU's 2010 ranking of rhenium above copper (pdf p. 216). About 95% of supply is a by-product. In reforming catalysts, iridium-tin systems have succeeded as substitutes. In high-temperature superalloys there is no easy replacement, so the risk falls mainly on aviation and defence.

EU 2023 Not critical US 2025 list Yes India 2023 list Yes Production HHI 5,210 highly concentrated

EU 2023 assessment

Chart: EU 2023 criticality: supply risk against economic importance

Each dot is a material assessed by the EU in 2023. The shaded corner is the critical zone (supply risk ≥ 1.0, economic importance ≥ 2.8). Rhenium: supply risk 0.5, economic importance 2.3. EU import reliance, processing 92% EU recycling input rate 50% US net import reliance, 2025 75% share of apparent consumption

Substitutes

Iridium-tin in reforming catalysts; tungsten, tantalum, cobalt, rhodium and platinum-ruthenium in niche uses