A Brief Discussion on Extracting Rubidium and Cesium from Ore and Its Application

As a minor metal mineral, rubidium and cesium have a relatively small global market consumption, and official production data is lacking. It is estimated that global annual consumption of rubidium and its compounds is in the tens of tons (10-20 t), while global annual consumption of cesium and its compounds is in the thousands of tons (approximately 4,000 t).

Rubidium and cesium are usually found in salt lake brine, underground brine and granite pegmatite silicate ores in a co-existing form. Salt lake brine and underground brine contain trace or even trace amounts of rubidium and cesium, coexisting with high levels of sodium and potassium alkali metals, and are of low grade. Therefore, the effective separation and recovery of rubidium and cesium from them faces great technical challenges. There have been many studies on the comprehensive utilization of rubidium and cesium in brine, but industrialization has not yet been achieved. Currently, commercial rubidium and cesium products are derived from aluminosilicate ores, such as cesium garnet, lepidolite and ferrolithium mica. Extracting rubidium and cesium from ores is of great practical significance.

Carriers of rubidium and cesium, such as cesium garnet, lepidolite, iron-lithium mica, and rubidium-rich granite, are typically silicate minerals with a strong, indestructible structure. High-temperature salt roasting, in highly acidic or alkaline environments, is required to restructure the mineral structure and release the rubidium and cesium ions into solution. Despite the differences in mineral structure, extraction methods are highly similar. The main methods for extracting rubidium and cesium from ores include sulfuric acid, limestone sintering, sulfate roasting, autoclaving, and chloride roasting.

Looking ahead, if rubidium- and cesium-doped perovskite solar cells can be commercialized, global demand for rubidium and cesium will surge.

Suzhou KP Chemical Co., Ltd can provide Rubidium-cesium compounds such as Cesium carbonate, Cesium chloride, Cesium hydroxide monohydrate, Cesium sulfate, Cesium iodide, Cesium fluoride, Cesium formate, Cesium nitrate, Cesium acetate, Rubidium carbonate, Rubidium chloride, Rubidium sulfate, Rubidium nitrate and Rubidium acetate. Please contact info@szwww.kpchemtech.com or 086-18915544907.