158 

STRONTIUM 

(Data in metric tons of strontium content1

 unless otherwise noted) 

Domestic Production and Use: No strontium minerals have been produced in the United States since 1959. The 

most common strontium mineral, celestite, which consists primarily of strontium sulfate, was imported exclusively from 

Mexico. A company in Georgia was the only major U.S. producer of strontium compounds, and analysis of celestite 

import data indicates that production at this operation has decreased substantially since 2001. Estimates of primary 

strontium compound end uses in the United States were pyrotechnics and signals, 30%; ferrite ceramic magnets, 

30%; master alloys, 10%; pigments and fillers, 10%; electrolytic production of zinc, 10%; and other applications, 10%. 

Salient Statistics—United States: 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008e

Production — — — — — 

Imports for consumption: 

 Strontium minerals 2,760 799 671 541 445 

 Strontium compounds 14,500 11,700 8,860 8,550 8,250 

Exports, compounds 552 255 716 720 725 

Shipments from Government stockpile excesses — — — — — 

Consumption, apparent, celestite and compounds 16,700 12,200 8,820 8,370 7,750 

Price, average value of mineral imports 

 at port of exportation, dollars per ton 53 56 64 67 70 

Net import reliance2

 as a percentage of 

 apparent consumption 100 100 100 100 100 

Recycling: None. 

Import Sources (2004-07): Strontium minerals: Mexico, 100%. Strontium compounds: Mexico, 78%; Germany, 11%; 

and other, 11%. Total imports: Mexico, 79%; Germany, 10%; and other, 11%. 

Tariff: Item Number Normal Trade Relations 

 12-31-08

Celestite 2530.90.8010 Free. 

Strontium metal 2805.19.1000 3.7% ad val. 

Compounds: 

 Strontium oxide, hydroxide, peroxide 2816.40.1000 4.2% ad val. 

 Strontium nitrate 2834.29.2000 4.2% ad val. 

 Strontium carbonate 2836.92.0000 4.2% ad val. 

Depletion Allowance: 22% (Domestic), 14% (Foreign). 

Government Stockpile: None. 

Prepared by Désirée E. Polyak [(703) 648-4909, dpolyak@usgs.gov, fax: (703) 648-7757]
 159 

STRONTIUM 

Events, Trends, and Issues: China is the world’s leading producer of strontium carbonate, with plant capacity of 

200,000 tons per year, followed by Germany and Mexico, with 70,000 and 127,000 tons per year, respectively. China 

uses mostly domestic and some imported celestite to supply its strontium carbonate plants; the German producer 

uses imported celestite; and Mexican producers use domestic ore to supply their plants. Major markets for Chinese 

strontium carbonate are in Asia and Europe. Chinese celestite reserves are smaller and of lower quality than the ores 

in other major producing countries, including Mexico and Spain, raising the question of whether Chinese celestite 

producers will be able to maintain high enough production levels to meet the demand at strontium carbonate plants 

for an extended period of time, or if additional imports will be required. Turkey had been another leading celestite 

producer, but continues to experience significant decline in production. 

Strontium demand for cathode ray tubes (CRTs) continues to be strong in Asia and Mexico, but newer television 

technology is likely to eventually replace CRTs in those markets as well. Although CRTs are still available, growth 

continues in flat-panel technology, which requires much smaller quantities of strontium carbonate, resulting in steadily 

decreasing demand for strontium carbonate for television displays, especially in North America and Europe. Even 

without strontium carbonate consumption in television glass, estimated strontium consumption in ceramics and glass 

manufacture remained one of the top end-use industries through its use in ceramic ferrite magnets and other ceramic 

and glass applications. The use of strontium nitrate in pyrotechnics was estimated to equal the use of strontium 

carbonate in ferrite magnets. 

World Mine Production, Reserves, and Reserve Base:

3

 Mine production Reserves4

 Reserve base4

 2007 2008e

United States — — — 1,400,000 

Argentina 20,000 5,000 All other: All other: 

Chinae

 190,000 200,000 6,800,000 11,000,000 

Iran — — 

Mexico 96,900 96,900 

Morocco 2,700 2,700 

Pakistan 2,000 2,100 

Spain 190,000 200,000 

Turkey 9,000 5,000 1 1

 World total (rounded) 511,000 512,000 6,800,000 12,000,000 

World Resources: Resources of strontium in the United States are several times the reserve base. World resources 

are thought to exceed 1 billion tons. 

Substitutes: Although it is possible to substitute other materials for strontium in some of its applications, such a 

change would adversely affect product performance and/or cost. For example, barium could replace strontium in CRT 

picture tube glass only after extensive circuit redesign to reduce operating voltages that produce harmful secondary x 

rays. Barium replacement of strontium in ferrite ceramic magnets would decrease the maximum energy and 

temperature characteristics of the magnets. Substituting for strontium in pyrotechnics would be impractical because 

the desired brilliance and visibility are imparted only by strontium and its compounds. 

e

Estimated. — Zero. 

1

The strontium content of celestite is 43.88%; this factor was used to convert units of celestite. 2

Defined as imports – exports + adjustments for Government and industry stock changes. 

3

Metric tons of strontium minerals. 

4

See Appendix C for definitions.

U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 2009