BGS Risk List (6)

After the rather morbid post for the 7^th most at risk element (Mercury) hopeful this week’s centre stage element will be a nicer story to tell! So let us explore our number 6 ranking metal, Strontium.

RANKING:

6

ELEMENT NAME AND SYMBOL:

Strontium (Sr)

RELATIVE SUPPLY RISK INDEX:

8.6

WHY?:

Strontium is not found isolated in the crust, instead it has to be processed from the minerals celestine (SRSO4) and strontianite (SrCO3). Despite this is the 15^th most abundant element on Earth, so why the high at risk status?

It is not currently recycled, so we are constantly depleting our supply at the

moment. And once again, as is becoming quite a pattern, China is both the

leading producer and reserve holder, making the element vulnerable to

high export taxes when being sold to the rest of the world.

LEADING PRODUCER:

China

TOP RESERVE HOLDER:

China

WHY THE DEMAND?:

Strontium came into the limelight firstly in it’s role of producing sugar from sugar beet, but now has many other uses too. I shall talk you through a couple of these now:

In week three we saw barium and it’s use in fireworks; well strontium also has a hand in your bonfire night festivities, because it is what gives fireworks their red colour! Strontium alloy is used in the metal of choice for BMW, who use it in their car and motorcycle engines. And finally, a more scientific use; strontium isotope tracing is used in groundwater movement.