Rubidium (Data in kilograms of rubidium content, unless noted) Domestic Production and Use

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136

RUBIDIUM

(Data in kilograms of rubidium content, unless noted)

Domestic Production and Use:  Although rubidium is not recovered from any domestically mined ores, it is believed

that at least one domestic company manufactured rubidium products from imported lepidolite ore.  Small quantities of

rubidium, usually in the form of chemical compounds, were used mainly in research and development.  Rubidium also

was used in electronic and medical applications.

Salient Statistics—United States:  Salient statistics such as production consumption, imports, and exports are not

available.

The rubidium market is very small.  There is no active trading in the metal and therefore no market price.  However,

several companies publish prices for rubidium and rubidium compounds.  These prices are relatively stable over time

periods up to several years in length.  The per-unit price for the metal or compounds purchased from these companies

varies inversely with the quantity of material purchased.  For example, in 1995, one company offered 1-gram ampoules

of 99.8% grade rubidium metal at $42.40.  The price for 100 grams of the same material from this company was

$571.00 or $5.71 per gram.  At another company, the price for a 1-gram ampoule of 99.6% pure rubidium was $42.40.

Recycling:  None.

Import Sources (1991-94):  The United States is 100% import reliant.  Although there is no information on the

countries shipping rubidium-bearing material to the United States, it is believed that Canada is the major source of this

raw material. 

Tariff: Item

Number

Most favored nation (MFN)

 Non-MFN

1

12/31/95

12/31/95

Alkali metals, other

2805.19.0000

6.4% ad val.

 25% ad val.

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

Government Stockpile:  None.

Prepared by Robert G. Reese, Jr., [phone].

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137

RUBIDIUM

Events, Trends, and Issues:  Rubidium and its compounds were largely the subject of laboratory study and were of

little commercial significance.  No major breakthroughs or developments were anticipated that would change the

production or consumption patterns.  Domestic rubidium production is entirely dependent on imported lepidolite ores. 

Because of the small scale of production of rubidium products, no significant environmental problems have been

encountered.

World Mine Production, Reserves, and Reserve Base:  Data on mine production of rubidium are not available. 

Reserves and the reserve base

2

 for rubidium in North America were estimated at 2 million kilograms and 2.3 million

kilograms, respectively.

World Resources:  Rubidium forms no known minerals in which it is the predominant metallic constituent.  It occurs

chiefly as a replacement for potassium, especially in minerals formed late in the crystallization of pegmatites. 

Meaningful estimates of world rubidium resources have not been made, but lepidolite, a potassium lithium mica, may

contain up to 1.35% rubidium, and pollucite, a cesium silicate, may contain up to 3.15% rubidium.

Substitutes:  The properties of cesium and its compounds are so similar to those of rubidium and its compounds that

compounds of rubidium and cesium are used interchangeably in many applications.  

1

See Appendix B.

2

See Appendix C for definitions.

Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 1996