The process for the synthesis of rhenium powders comprises the injection of ammonium perrhenate powder through a carrier gas in a plasma torch of a plasma reactor operated using a mixture including hydrogen as the plasma gas, yielding metallic rhenium under the following chemical reaction: 2 NH.sub.4ReO.sub.4+4 H.sub.2.fwdarw.2 Re+N.sub.2.uparw.+8 H.sub.2O.uparw.. The reactor is provided with a quench zone for cooling the metallic rhenium so as to yield rhenium nano and micro powders.