China Achieves Breakthrough in Rubidium Extraction

China’s Breakthrough in Rubidium Extraction

China has made a significant breakthrough in extracting ultra-pure rubidium, a critical mineral essential for various high-tech industries. Researchers from the Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes (ISL), part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, developed a method to produce 99.9% pure rubidium chloride from potassium chloride.

Researchers used this method even with extremely low rubidium content. This innovation promises to enhance China’s domestic rubidium supply and reduce its dependence on imports, especially from Canada.

Rubidium is a versatile alkali metal used in biomedical devices, telecommunications, specialty glass, and potential sodium-ion battery technology. Despite its relative abundance in the Earth’s crust, concentrated rubidium deposits remain rare. Mining operations generally produce it as a byproduct from lithium and cesium extraction in Canada, Namibia, and Zambia. China currently imports about two-thirds of its rubidium, making this technological advance vital for securing supply chains.

Expanding China’s Rubidium Production Capacity

The rubidium extraction breakthrough addresses the difficulty of processing low-grade rubidium reserves in China. These reserves are mostly found in hard rock deposits and salt lakes in Tibet and Qinghai. ISL’s researchers overcame theoretical and engineering challenges by modeling rubidium’s behavior during potassium salt production. They optimized concentration stages for cost-effective purification.

This process is potentially cheaper than existing methods. In fact, production costs are estimated at only one-third of current market prices. With rubidium trading near $3,000 per ounce on the Shanghai Metals Market, this breakthrough could reposition China as a more self-reliant producer. It could impact global critical minerals markets.

SuperMetalPrice Commentary:

China’s rubidium extraction breakthrough marks a critical step toward securing its supply of vital minerals amid growing global demand. As rubidium gains prominence in advanced technologies, this innovation reduces China’s import dependence and may lower costs industry-wide. The development also highlights China’s continued focus on dominating the critical minerals sector, challenging traditional producers like Canada. Market participants should watch for accelerated investment and supply shifts as the new extraction method scales.