Strontium Carbonate

Strontium Carbonate is an important precursor for a variety of strontium-containing materials.  It reacts with mineral acids to form strontium salts.  It also decomposes upon heating from 900-1150 degrees Celsius to strontium oxide.  Strontium Carbonate is widely used in fireworks and emergency flares since it burns with a brilliant red flame.

Like other alkaline earth carbonates–such as Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Carbonate, and Barium Carbonate – Strontium Carbonate acts as a flux in the high temperature production of ceramics and glasses.  The flux lowers the melting point of the materials creating a molten phase at lower processing temperatures.  It is often used in place of Barium Carbonate because of its lower toxicity.  It also contributes to the coloring of ceramic glazes and glasses.

Strontium Carbonate is also used in the production of Strontium Hexaferrite SrFe₁₂O₁₉, which is common hard permanent magnet.  They are produced by calcining a stoichiometric mixture of Iron Oxide (Fe2O3) and Strontium Carbonate at temperatures above 1000 degrees Celsius.  The precursors are inexpensive and the material is considered eco-friendly in terms of mining and production impacts.  In fact, over 80% of the magnets produced each year by volume are Strontium hexaferrite magnets.

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