Atomic properties
Market data
Raw material sources & pricing
| Raw Material Form | Grade/Quality | Price Paid by Refiners | Major Sources | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pollucite Ore (High Grade) | 20-30% Cs₂O | $3,500-4,500/MT | Canada (Tanco Mine) | Highest quality, easiest to process |
| Pollucite Ore (Medium Grade) | 15-20% Cs₂O | $2,800-3,500/MT | Zimbabwe, Namibia | Requires additional beneficiation |
| Lepidolite (Secondary Source) | 0.3-0.7% Cs₂O | $180-250/MT | China, Brazil | Byproduct of lithium extraction |
| Salt Brines | 10-50 ppm Cs | N/A | Chile, China | Experimental extraction only |
Pollucite Ore - Primary Raw Material
Current Market Price: $2,800-4,500/MT (varies by Cs₂O content) Major Global Reserves: Canada (Manitoba): ~120,000 MT proven reserves (70% of world reserves) - Tanco Mine Zimbabwe: ~40,000 MT - Bikita pegmatite deposits Namibia: ~15,000 MT - Rubicon and Helikon mines China: ~8,000 MT - Jiangxi Province 2025 Production Leaders: Canada: 85 MT cesium compounds (68% of global production) Zimbabwe: 25 MT cesium compounds China: 15 MT cesium compounds Total global production: ~125 MT cesium compounds Raw Material Form Grade/Quality Price Paid by Refiners Major Sources Notes Pollucite Ore (High Grade) 20-30% Cs₂O $3,500-4,500/MT Canada (Tanco Mine) Highest quality, easiest to process Pollucite Ore (Medium Grade) 15-20% Cs₂O $2,800-3,500/MT Zimbabwe, Namibia Requires additional beneficiation Lepido
⚠️ Seawater Cesium Extraction
Commercial Viability: NOT ECONOMICALLY VIABLE Concentration: 0.0003 ppm (extremely low) Chemical Form: Cs⁺ (free ion) Status: No commercial seawater cesium extraction exists. The extremely low concentration (300 parts per trillion) and lack of selective extraction methods make it uneconomical compared to pollucite mining. Note: Unlike lithium or bromine, cesium has never been commercially extracted from seawater or brines.
Production cost analysis
| Cost Component | $/kg Cesium Metal | % of Total Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pollucite Ore (3-4 MT needed) | $400-600 | 25-30% | Based on 25% Cs₂O content ore |
| Chemical Processing | $300-450 | 20-25% | Acid digestion, purification |
| Labor (Specialized) | $250-350 | 15-20% | Requires hazmat handling |
| Electrolysis/Reduction | $200-300 | 12-15% | Small-scale batch process |
| Packaging & Safety | $150-250 | 10-12% | Argon atmosphere, special containers |
| Other Materials & Overhead | $200-350 | 12-15% | Reagents, utilities, equipment |
| Total Production Cost | $1,500-2,300 | 100% | Compare to selling price: $1,800-2,500/kg |
Energy consumption breakdown
| Process Stage | Energy Consumption | % of Total Energy | Energy Type | Key Operations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ore Crushing & Grinding | 5-8 MJ/kg | 10-13% | Electricity | Mechanical size reduction to -200 mesh |
| Acid Digestion | 12-18 MJ/kg | 25-30% | Natural Gas/Steam | H₂SO₄ digestion at 250-300°C |
| Purification & Crystallization | 8-12 MJ/kg | 17-20% | Steam/Electricity | Multiple recrystallizations |
| Electrolysis/Thermal Reduction | 15-20 MJ/kg | 30-35% | Electricity | Fused salt electrolysis at 700°C |
| Distillation & Purification | 5-8 MJ/kg | 10-13% | Electricity | Vacuum distillation at 300°C |
Chemical Processing Details
Ore Preparation: Crushing to liberate pollucite crystals Acid Digestion: H₂SO₄ treatment forms Cs₂SO₄ Separation: Removal of Al, Si, and other impurities Precipitation: Formation of cesium alum Conversion: To CsCl or Cs₂CO₃ for metal production
Metal Production Methods
Electrolysis: Fused CsCl at 645°C (most common) Thermal Reduction: Ca or Li reduction of CsCl Vacuum Distillation: Final purification to 99.95% Batch Size: Typically 1-5 kg per run Yield: 85-90% from cesium chloride
Commercial forms & specifications
| Product Form | Chemical Formula | Molecular Weight | Typical Purity | Price Range (USD/kg) | Main Applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cesium Metal | Cs | 132.91 g/mol | 99.5-99.98% | $1,800-2,500 | Atomic clocks, photoelectric cells |
| Cesium Chloride | CsCl | 168.36 g/mol | 99.9-99.999% | $85-150 | Density gradients, medical imaging |
| Cesium Carbonate | Cs₂CO₃ | 325.82 g/mol | 99.9-99.99% | $45-80 | Glass manufacturing, catalysts |
| Cesium Hydroxide (50% solution) | CsOH | 149.91 g/mol | 49-51% CsOH | $120-180 | Organic synthesis, batteries |
| Cesium Formate | HCOOCs | 177.92 g/mol | 98-99% | $2,200-2,800 | Drilling fluids (oil & gas) |
| Cesium Nitrate | CsNO₃ | 194.91 g/mol | 99-99.9% | $95-140 | Specialty glass, prisms |
| Cesium Bromide | CsBr | 212.81 g/mol | 99.9-99.99% | $110-165 | Optics, scintillation counters |
| Cesium Iodide | CsI | 259.81 g/mol | 99.9-99.999% | $180-250 | Scintillation detectors, X-ray imaging |
| Cesium Sulfate | Cs₂SO₄ | 361.87 g/mol | 99-99.9% | $75-120 | Density gradients, research |
| Cesium Acetate | CH₃COOCs | 191.95 g/mol | 99-99.5% | $125-175 | Catalysts, specialty chemicals |
Suppliers by country
🇨🇦 Canada
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Sinomine Resource Group (Tanco Mine) | CsCl, Cs₂CO₃, CsOH, Cs formate | World's largest cesium producer, owns Tanco Mine |
| Avalon Advanced Materials | Pollucite concentrates | Exploration and development projects |
🇺🇸 United States
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| American Elements | Cs metal, all Cs compounds, ultra-high purity | Research quantities, custom synthesis |
| Sigma-Aldrich (Millipore Sigma) | All cesium compounds, reagent grades | Laboratory and research quantities |
| Strem Chemicals | High-purity Cs compounds | Catalysts and specialty chemicals |
🇩🇪 Germany
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Albemarle Germany GmbH | CsCl, Cs₂CO₃, CsOH solutions | Pharmaceutical grade cesium compounds |
| ABCR GmbH | Cesium compounds, organocesium reagents | Fine chemicals, custom synthesis |
🇨🇳 China
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Jiangxi Dongpeng New Materials | CsCl, Cs₂CO₃, CsNO₃ | Industrial grade cesium compounds |
| Shanghai Xinglu Chemical | Cesium salts, solutions | Electronic grade materials |
| Hunan Huacheng Antimony | Cesium compounds from lepidolite | Byproduct cesium recovery |
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Alfa Aesar (Thermo Fisher) | All cesium compounds, metal | Research chemicals, high purity |
🇯🇵 Japan
| Company | Product Forms | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo Chemical Industry (TCI) | High-purity cesium compounds | Reagent grade, certified materials |
| Kanto Chemical | Cesium salts, solutions | Electronic and optical grade |
Market demand by product form
| Product Form | Global Market Size | USA Market | China Market | Growth Rate (CAGR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cesium Formate (Drilling) | $285 million | 45% share | 12% share | 6.5% |
| Cesium Compounds (Chemical) | $125 million | 22% share | 35% share | 4.2% |
| Cesium Metal | $45 million | 38% share | 28% share | 5.8% |
| Optical Cesium (CsI, CsBr) | $65 million | 30% share | 25% share | 7.2% |
| Medical/Pharma Grade | $38 million | 35% share | 20% share | 8.5% |
| Catalyst Applications | $52 million | 25% share | 30% share | 5.5% |
| Atomic Clock/Quantum | $28 million | 42% share | 18% share | 12.5% |
Market trends
Supply Concentration: 68% of global supply from single mine (Tanco) creates supply risk Quantum Technology Growth: Quantum computing driving 12.5% CAGR in ultra-high purity cesium Oil & Gas Recovery: Cesium formate demand growing as deep drilling increases Medical Imaging: CsI scintillators replacing traditional materials in digital radiography 5G Infrastructure: Cesium atomic clocks critical for network synchronization Price Stability: Long-term contracts dominate, spot market very thin Environmental Concerns: Cesium-137 remediation creating specialized market segment Chinese Integration: Sinomine's acquisition of Tanco creates vertical integration concerns
Moles per kilogram
| Product Form | Formula | MW (g/mol) | Moles/kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cesium Metal | Cs | 132.91 | 7.52 |
| Cesium Chloride | CsCl | 168.36 | 5.94 |
| Cesium Carbonate | Cs₂CO₃ | 325.82 | 3.07 |
| Cesium Hydroxide | CsOH | 149.91 | 6.67 |
| Cesium Formate | HCOOCs | 177.92 | 5.62 |
| Cesium Nitrate | CsNO₃ | 194.91 | 5.13 |
| Cesium Iodide | CsI | 259.81 | 3.85 |
References
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