DOE PAGES title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: The Global Biogeochemical Cycle of Rhenium

Journal Article · · Global Biogeochemical Cycles

Here, this paper is the first comprehensive synthesis of what is currently known about the different natural and anthropogenic fluxes of rhenium (Re) on Earth's surface. We highlight the significant role of anthropogenic mobilization of Re, which is an important consideration in utilizing Re in the context of a biogeochemical tracer or proxy. The largest natural flux of Re derives from chemical weathering and riverine transport to the ocean (dissolved = 62 × 106 g yr-1 and particulate = 5 × 106 g yr-1). This review reports a new global average [Re] of 16 ± 2 pmol L-1, or 10 ± 1 pmol L-1 for the inferred pre-anthropogenic concentration without human impact, for rivers draining to the ocean. Human activity via mining (including secondary mobilization), coal combustion, and petroleum combustion mobilize approximately 560 × 106 g yr-1 Re, which is more than any natural flux of Re. There are several poorly constrained fluxes of Re that merit further research, including: submarine groundwater discharge, precipitation (terrestrial and oceanic), magma degassing, and hydrothermal activity. The mechanisms and the main host phases responsible for releasing (sources) or sequestrating (sinks) these fluxes remain poorly understood. This study also highlights the use of dissolved [Re] concentrations as a tracer of oxidation of petrogenic organic carbon, and stable Re isotopes as proxies for changes in global redox conditions.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC52-07NA27344
OSTI ID:
2497910
Report Number(s):
LLNL--JRNL-868303; 1099478
Journal Information:
Global Biogeochemical Cycles, Journal Name: Global Biogeochemical Cycles Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 38; ISSN 0886-6236
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union (AGU)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (129)

Deep‐sea coral record of human impact on watershed quality in the Mississippi River Basin journal January 2014
Low rates of rock organic carbon oxidation and anthropogenic cycling of rhenium in a slowly denuding landscape journal February 2023
Trace metals as indicators of tree rooting in bituminous soils journal December 2020
High rhenium enrichment in brown algae: a biological sink of rhenium in the sea? journal March 1991
Extractive metallurgy of rhenium: a review journal February 2013
Rapid and significant perturbations on the global geochemical cycle of rhenium by human activities ----- A case study in Yangtze River basin journal February 2024
Comparison of transfer and distribution of technetium and rhenium in radish plants from nutrient solution journal December 2004
Long-term particle measurements in Finnish Arctic: Part II – Trend analysis and source location identification journal May 2014
Long-term particle measurements in Finnish Arctic: Part I – Chemical composition and trace metal solubility journal May 2014
A new approach for rhenium(VII) recovery by using modified brown algae Laminaria japonica adsorbent journal January 2013
Re–Os results from ODP Site 801: Evidence for extensive Re uptake during alteration of oceanic crust journal February 2008
Source, transport, and fate of rhenium, selenium, molybdenum, arsenic, and copper in groundwater associated with porphyry–Cu deposits, Atacama Desert, Chile journal January 2008
Behavior of highly-siderophile elements during magma degassing: A case study at the Kudryavy volcano journal February 2008
Rhenium–osmium isotope and platinum group element systematics of marine vs. non-marine organic-rich sediments and coals from Egypt journal June 2011
Uranium and barium cycling in a salt wedge subterranean estuary: The influence of tidal pumping journal August 2011
Rhenium geochemical cycling: Insights from continental margins journal September 2012
What regulates rhenium deposition in euxinic basins? journal April 2012
Contrasting molybdenum cycling and isotopic properties in euxinic versus non-euxinic sediments and sedimentary rocks: Refining the paleoproxies journal September 2012
Trace elements in the gas emissions from the Erta Ale volcano, Afar, Ethiopia journal October 2013
A new analytical approach to determining Mo and Re speciation in sulfidic waters journal May 2015
Non-conservative removal of dissolved rhenium from a coastal lagoon: Clay adsorption versus biological uptake journal October 2021
Net effect of chemical erosion in a tropical basin on carbon cycle: Constraints from elemental and sulfur isotopic composition of the Mahanadi river water journal January 2024
Re(VII) diffusion in bentonite: Effect of organic compounds, pH and temperature journal July 2016
Why terrestrial coals cannot be dated using the Re-Os geochronometer: Evidence from the Finnmark Platform, southern Barents Sea and the Fire Clay coal horizon, Central Appalachian Basin journal March 2018
Temporal and spatial distributions of nutrients and trace elements (Ba, Cs, Cr, Fe, Mn, Mo, U, V and Re) in Mississippi coastal waters: Influence of hypoxia, submarine groundwater discharge, and episodic events journal March 2019
The potential––pH diagram for rhenium journal August 2022
Re–Os geochemistry of hydrothermally altered dacitic rock in a submarine volcano at Site U1527, IODP Expedition 376: Implications for the Re cycle in intraoceanic arcs journal February 2022
Redox-sensitive trace metals as paleoredox proxies: A review and analysis of data from modern sediments journal May 2020
Modes of occurrence of elements in coal: A critical evaluation journal November 2021
Constraints on the timing of Marinoan “Snowball Earth” glaciation by 187Re–187Os dating of a Neoproterozoic, post-glacial black shale in Western Canada journal June 2004
Rhenium–osmium isotope and elemental behaviour during subduction of oceanic crust and the implications for mantle recycling journal January 2007
Chemical weathering fluxes from volcanic islands and the importance of groundwater: The Hawaiian example journal July 2012
Influence of biological productivity on silver and redox-sensitive trace metal accumulation in Southern Ocean surface sediments, Pacific sector journal October 2013
Geological respiration of a mountain belt revealed by the trace element rhenium journal October 2014
Theoretical modeling of rhenium isotope fractionation, natural variations across a black shale weathering profile, and potential as a paleoredox proxy journal September 2015
Radiometric dating of marine-influenced coal using Re–Os geochronology journal December 2015
Fractionation of rhenium isotopes in the Mackenzie River basin during oxidative weathering journal November 2021
Comparative geochemistry of cadmium, rhenium, uranium, and molybdenum in continental margin sediments journal June 2004
Diagenesis of oxyanions (V, U, Re, and Mo) in pore waters and sediments from a continental margin journal November 2005
Trace element cycling in a subterranean estuary: Part 2. Geochemistry of the pore water journal February 2006
GEOCARBSULF: A combined model for Phanerozoic atmospheric O2 and CO2 journal December 2006
Re–Os elemental and isotopic systematics in crude oils journal January 2007
Insights on geochemical cycling of U, Re and Mo from seasonal sampling in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, USA journal February 2007
Comparison of reductive accumulation of Re and Os in seawater–sediment systems journal July 2007
Heterogeneous reduction of Tc(VII) by Fe(II) at the solid–water interface journal March 2008
Sequestration mechanisms and anthropogenic inputs of rhenium in sediments from Eastern Canada lakes journal December 2008
A model for uranium, rhenium, and molybdenum diagenesis in marine sediments based on results from coastal locations journal May 2009
Re-assessing the surface cycling of molybdenum and rhenium journal November 2011
Evaluating Re–Os systematics in organic-rich sedimentary rocks in response to petroleum generation using hydrous pyrolysis experiments journal January 2012
Halogens and trace metal emissions from the ongoing 2008 summit eruption of Kīlauea volcano, Hawai`i journal April 2012
Pertechnetate (TcO4−) reduction by reactive ferrous iron forms in naturally anoxic, redox transition zone sediments from the Hanford Site, USA journal September 2012
Molybdenum speciation and burial pathway in weakly sulfidic environments: Insights from XAFS journal June 2017
A model for the oceanic mass balance of rhenium and implications for the extent of Proterozoic ocean anoxia journal February 2018
The rhenium isotope composition of Atlantic Ocean seawater journal October 2020
The Re/Mo redox proxy reconsidered journal January 2022
Concentration-runoff relationships of contrasting small mountainous rivers in the Pacific Northwest, USA: Insights into the weathering of rhenium relative to other weathering products journal November 2022
On the uptake of rhenium by plants: Accumulation and recovery from plant tissue journal December 2021
Intercomparison of submarine groundwater discharge estimates from a sandy unconfined aquifer journal August 2006
Rhenium in rivers and estuaries of India: Sources, transport and behaviour journal January 2010
Cycling of redox-sensitive elements in a sandy subterranean estuary of the southern North Sea journal January 2017
Distributary channels and their impact on sediment dispersal journal November 2005
The trace metal content of recent organic carbon-rich sediments: Implications for Cretaceous black shale formation journal March 2006
Determination of anthropogenic input of Ru, Rh, Pd, Re, Os, Ir and Pt in soils along Austrian motorways by isotope dilution ICP-MS journal June 2004
Quantifying submarine groundwater discharge in the coastal zone via multiple methods journal August 2006
Osmium in environmental samples from Northeast Sweden journal November 2007
Phytoextraction of rhenium by lucerne (Medicago sativa) and erect milkvetch (Astragalus adsurgens) from alkaline soils amended with coal fly ash journal July 2018
Removal of dissolved rhenium by sorption onto organic polymers: study of rhenium as an analogue of radioactive technetium journal January 2004
Molybdenum Burial Mechanism in Sulfidic Sediments: Iron-Sulfide Pathway journal March 2018
Airborne plume study of emissions from the processing of copper ores in southeastern Arizona journal March 1981
Perrhenate Uptake by Iron and Aluminum Oxyhydroxides:  An Analogue for Pertechnetate Incorporation in Hanford Waste Tank Sludges journal March 2004
Anthropogenic Disturbance of Element Cycles at the Earth’s Surface journal July 2012
Trace Element Profiles in Sediments as Proxies of Dead Zone History; Rhenium Compared to Molybdenum journal February 2013
Significant Human Impact on the Flux and δ34S of Sulfate from the Largest River in North America journal April 2015
Investigations in the Chemistry of Rhenium. I. Oxidation States IV, V and VII1,2 journal May 1950
Rhenium and Its Compounds as Hydrogenation Catalysts. III. Rhenium Heptoxide 1,2,3 journal December 1959
Five‐minute, 1/2°, and 1° data sets of continental watersheds and river networks for use in regional and global hydrologic and climate system modeling studies journal February 1999
Relationships between the trace element composition of sedimentary rocks and upper continental crust: TRACE ELEMENT COMPOSITION AND UPPER CONTINENTAL CRUST journal April 2001
Rhenium-osmium isotope systematics and platinum group element concentrations: Loess and the upper continental crust: ERODING CONTINENTAL CRUST journal October 2001
Rhenium‐osmium isotope systematics and platinum group element concentrations in oceanic crust from DSDP/ODP Sites 504 and 417/418 journal July 2003
Constraining the magnitude of the global dust cycle by minimizing the difference between a model and observations journal January 2006
Improved Os-isotope stratigraphy of the Arctic Ocean: Os-ISOTOPE STRATIGRAPHY OF THE ARCTIC journal July 2011
The new global lithological map database GLiM: A representation of rock properties at the Earth surface: TECHNICAL BRIEF journal December 2012
Rhenium in Indian rivers: Sources, fluxes, and contribution to oceanic budget journal August 2012
Tracing the Impact of Coastal Water Geochemistry on the Re-Os Systematics of Macroalgae: Insights From the Basaltic Terrain of Iceland journal September 2018
Anthropogenic Perturbations to the Atmospheric Molybdenum Cycle journal February 2021
Concentration‐Discharge Relationships of Dissolved Rhenium in Alpine Catchments Reveal Its Use as a Tracer of Oxidative Weathering journal November 2021
187Re–187Os systematics in meteorites: early chronology of the Solar System and age of the Galaxy journal January 1980
The contribution of explosive volcanism to global atmospheric sulphur dioxide concentrations journal December 1993
Decline in global oceanic oxygen content during the past five decades journal February 2017
Precise determination of rhenium isotope composition by multi-collector inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry journal January 2009
Measurements of rhenium isotopic composition in low-abundance samples journal January 2020
Global biogeochemical cycle of vanadium journal December 2017
High rates of rock organic carbon oxidation sustained as Andean sediment transits the Amazon foreland-floodplain journal September 2023
Estimation of continental 187 Os/ 186 Os values by using 187 Os/ 186 Os and 143 Nd/ 144 Nd ratios in marine manganese nodules journal December 1984
Determination of Rhenium in Seawater from the Jiulong River Estuary and Taiwan Strait, China by Automated Flow Injection Inductively Coupled Plasma–Mass Spectrometry journal October 2016
Rhenium Contents in Japanese River Waters Measured by Isotope Dilution ICP-MS and the Relationship of Re with Some Chemical Components journal September 2008
Distinct Microbial Behavior of Re Compared to Tc: Evidence Against Microbial Re Fixation in Aquatic Sediments journal September 2009
Oxygenation, Life, and the Planetary System during Earth's Middle History: An Overview journal August 2021
Behavior of Re during Magma Fractionation: an Example from Volcan Alcedo, Galapagos journal April 1998
Rhenium uptake and distribution in phaeophyceae macroalgae, Fucus vesiculosus journal May 2016
Natural Radioactivity of Rhenium journal March 1948
The Natural Abundance of Isotopes of Stable Elements journal November 1948
Radiogenic Osmium fromRhenium-Containing Molybdenite journal September 1954
Half-Life of Rhenium journal September 1954
Natural Radioactivity of Rhenium journal August 1954
Natural variations in the rhenium isotopic composition of meteorites journal December 2016
Mountain glaciation drives rapid oxidation of rock-bound organic carbon journal October 2017
Direct Radiometric Dating of Hydrocarbon Deposits Using Rhenium-Osmium Isotopes journal May 2005
A Whiff of Oxygen Before the Great Oxidation Event? journal September 2007
Fossil Fuel Combustion and the Major Sedimentary Cycle journal July 1971
Submarine Thermal Springs on the Galápagos Rift journal March 1979
A Direct Measurement of the Terrestrial Mass Accretion Rate of Cosmic Dust journal October 1993
Re-Os Ages of Group IIA, IIIA, IVA, and IVB Iron Meteorites journal February 1996
Deep abiotic weathering of pyrite journal October 2020
Pyrrhotite–silicate melt partitioning of rhenium and the deep rhenium cycle in subduction zones journal November 2021
Specific features of rhenium-alloyed single-crystal nickel superalloys journal October 2006
Field determination of rhenium in plants using catalytic test methods with dimethyldithiooxamide and Sulfonitrazo P journal April 2010
THE R e -O s ISOTOPE SYSTEM IN COSMOCHEMISTRY AND HIGH-TEMPERATURE GEOCHEMISTRY journal May 1998
ELEMENTAL CYCLES: A Status Report on Human or Natural Dominance journal November 2004
Estimates of the Global Water Budget and Its Annual Cycle Using Observational and Model Data journal August 2007
Reconstructing Paleoredox Conditions through a Multitracer Approach: The Key to the Past Is the Present journal December 2009
Global Environment book April 2012
Carbon dioxide emissions by rock organic carbon oxidation and the net geochemical carbon budget of the Mackenzie River Basin journal June 2019
Rhythms of rhenium journal December 2007
Interactions of Perrhenate (Re(VII)O4−) with Fe(II)-Bearing Minerals journal February 2024
The Global Biogeochemical Cycle of Rhenium dataset January 2024
The Volume of Earth’s Ocean journal June 2010
Absolute isotopic abundance ratio and atomic weight of a reference sample of rhenium
  • Gramlich, John W.; Murphy, Thomas J.; Garner, Ernest L.
  • Journal of Research of the National Bureau of Standards Section A: Physics and Chemistry, Vol. 77A, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.6028/jres.077a.040
journal November 1973
Rhenium elemental and isotopic variations at magmatic temperatures journal January 2024