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The mineralogy of Strontium

General Properties
Symbol:Sr
Atomic Number:38
Standard atomic weight (Ar):87.62(1)
Electron configuration:[Kr] 5s2
Photos
<
Strontium destilled crystals
>
Atomic Properties
Electronegativity (Pauling scale):0.95
Atomic Radius:219 pm
Ionic Radius:118 pm (+2)
1st Ionization energy:550 kJ/mol
1st Electron affinity:-5 kJ/mol
Oxidation States:2
Physical Properties
Standard State:solid
Bonding Type:metallic
Melting Point:1050 K
Boiling Point:1655 K
Density:2.63 g/cm3
Metal/Non-Metal:alkaline earth metal
Main isotopes of Strontium
Isotope% in NatureHalf LifeDecay typeDecay product
82Srsynthetic25.36dε82Rb
83Srsynthetic1.35dε83Rb
β+83Rb
84Sr0.56%-β+β+ ?84Kr
85Srsynthetic64.84dε85Rb
86Sr9.86%stable
87Sr7.0%stable
88Sr82.58%stable
89Srsynthetic50.52dε89Rb
β−89Y
90Srtrace28.90yβ−90Y
Main ions of Strontium
NameIonExample minerals
strontiumSr2+Celestine, Strontianite
Other Information
Year Discovered:1787
Discovered By:
09923560017362064875205.jpg
William Cruickshank
Year Isolated:1808
Isolated By:
08556590017362062496397.jpg
Humphry Davy
Named For:
01579600017271952122199.jpg
Named after mineral Strontianite
CPK color coding:#00FF00
External Links:WikipediaWebElementsLos Alamos National LaboratoryTheodore Gray's PeriodicTable.com
Simple Compounds and Mineral Names
Sulfidesstrontium sulphideSrS+2
Selenidesstrontium selenideSrSe+2
Hydridesstrontium dihydrideSrH2+2
Fluoridesstrontium difluorideSrF2+2Strontiofluorite
Chloridesstrontium dichlorideSrCl2+2
Iodidesstrontium diiodideSrI2+2
Oxidesstrontium oxideSrO+2
strontium peroxideSrO2+2
Carbonatesstrontium carbonateSrCO3+2Strontianite
Nitratesstrontium nitrateSr(NO3)2+2
Sulfatesstrontium sulfateSrSO`4+2Celestine
Strontium as a chromophore in minerals and gems
ChromophoreDescription
Sr2+Strontium substitution produces a unique violet tint in turquoise.
Mineral Diversity of Strontium
3. Halides10 valid mineral species
4. Oxides 12 valid mineral species
5. Carbonates 17 valid mineral species
6. Borates10 valid mineral species
7. Sulfates 2 valid mineral species
8. Phosphates, Arsenates, Vanadates30 valid mineral species
9. Silicates 56 valid mineral species
Total:137 valid species containing essential Strontium
Minerals with the greatest weight % of Strontium
StrontiofluoriteSrF269.75 %
StrontianiteSrCO359.35 %
OlekminskiteSr(Sr,Ca,Ba)(CO3)259.35 %
StronadelphiteSr5(PO4)3F59.04 %
StrontiowhitlockiteSr9Mg(PO4)6(PO3OH)53.33 %
FluorstrophiteSrCaSr3(PO4)3F50.47 %
StenoniteSr2Al(CO3)F549.06 %
TausoniteSrTiO347.75 %
CelestineSrSO447.70 %
AlfredcaspariteSr2TiO(Si2O7)43.03 %
Geochemistry of Strontium
Goldschmidt classification:Lithophile
Elemental Abundance for Strontium
Crust (CRC Handbook)3.70 x 10-4mass fraction, kg/kg
Crust (Kaye & Laby)4.5 x 10-4mass fraction, kg/kg
Crust (Greenwood)3.84 x 10-4mass fraction, kg/kg
Crust (Ahrens/Taylor)2.60 x 10-4mass fraction, kg/kg
Crust (Ahrens/Wänke)2.93 x 10-4mass fraction, kg/kg
Crust (Ahrens/Weaver)5.03 x 10-4mass fraction, kg/kg
Upper Crust (Ahrens/Taylor)3.50 x 10-4mass fraction, kg/kg
Upper Crust (Ahrens/Shaw)3.16 x 10-4mass fraction, kg/kg
Sea Water (CRC Handbook)7.9 x 10-6mass per volume fraction, kg/L
Sea Water (Kaye & Laby)8.1 x 10-6mass per volume fraction, kg/L
The Sun (Kaye & Laby)2.2 x 10-5atom mole fraction relative to Si=1
Solar System (Kaye & Laby)2.4 x 10-5atom mole fraction relative to Si=1
Solar System (Ahrens)2.35 x 10-5 (8.1%)atom mole fraction relative to Si=1 (% uncertainty)
Element association of Strontium in the Mineral World
This table compares the known valid mineral species listed listed with Strontium and the other elements listed based on the official IMA formula. Note that unlike other sections on this page this includes non-essential elements.

The first data column contains the total number of minerals listed with Strontium and the element listed for that row.

The second data column lists this number as a percentage of all minerals listed with Strontium.

The final data column compares this percentage against the percentage of all minerals that contain the element listed in each row.

Click on a heading to sort.
ElementValid Minerals listed with element and Strontium% of Sr mineralsRelative to % in all minerals
Oxygen170 minerals with Sr and O98.27%21.46% higher
Hydrogen114 minerals with Sr and H65.90%18.30% higher
Silicon75 minerals with Sr and Si43.35%57.02% higher
Sodium74 minerals with Sr and Na42.77%129.04% higher
Calcium68 minerals with Sr and Ca39.31%58.09% higher
Aluminium46 minerals with Sr and Al26.59%33.16% higher
Iron40 minerals with Sr and Fe23.12%3.04% higher
Titanium35 minerals with Sr and Ti20.23%190.56% higher
Fluorine32 minerals with Sr and F18.50%133.67% higher
Phosphorus32 minerals with Sr and P18.50%50.85% higher
Manganese28 minerals with Sr and Mn16.18%39.15% higher
Barium27 minerals with Sr and Ba15.61%237.79% higher
Carbon24 minerals with Sr and C13.87%70.72% higher
Cerium21 minerals with Sr and Ce12.14%295.47% higher
Potassium20 minerals with Sr and K11.56%16.17% higher
Magnesium19 minerals with Sr and Mg10.98%17.90% lower
Zirconium18 minerals with Sr and Zr10.40%329.36% higher
Boron13 minerals with Sr and B7.51%48.61% higher
Chlorine12 minerals with Sr and Cl6.94%6.25% lower
Niobium11 minerals with Sr and Nb6.36%111.60% higher
Lanthanum10 minerals with Sr and La5.78%325.96% higher
Vanadium9 minerals with Sr and V5.20%8.43% higher
Sulfur8 minerals with Sr and S4.62%79.03% lower
Chromium7 minerals with Sr and Cr4.05%121.65% higher
Yttrium7 minerals with Sr and Y4.05%76.38% higher
Arsenic6 minerals with Sr and As3.47%73.16% lower
Uranium6 minerals with Sr and U3.47%32.06% lower
Zinc5 minerals with Sr and Zn2.89%49.03% lower
Lead4 minerals with Sr and Pb2.31%78.51% lower
Copper3 minerals with Sr and Cu1.73%87.22% lower
Tungsten2 minerals with Sr and W1.16%27.79% higher
Lithium1 mineral with Sr and Li0.58%70.91% lower
Beryllium1 mineral with Sr and Be0.58%73.10% lower
Thorium1 mineral with Sr and Th0.58%8.26% lower
Periodic Table
1H 2He
3Li 4Be 5B 6C 7N 8O 9F 10Ne
11Na 12Mg 13Al 14Si 15P 16S 17Cl 18Ar
19K 20Ca 21Sc 22Ti 23V 24Cr 25Mn 26Fe 27Co 28Ni 29Cu 30Zn 31Ga 32Ge 33As 34Se 35Br 36Kr
37Rb 38Sr 39Y 40Zr 41Nb 42Mo 43Tc 44Ru 45Rh 46Pd 47Ag 48Cd 49In 50Sn 51Sb 52Te 53I 54Xe
55Cs 56Ba 57La 72Hf 73Ta 74W 75Re 76Os 77Ir 78Pt 79Au 80Hg 81Tl 82Pb 83Bi 84Po 85At 86Rn
87Fr 88Ra 89Ac 104Rd 105Db 106Sg 107Bh 108Hs 109Mt 110Ds 111Rg 112Cn 113Nh 114Fl 115Mc 116Lv 117Ts 118Og
 
58Ce 59Pr 60Nd 61Pm 62Sm 63Eu 64Gd 65Tb 66Dy 67Ho 68Er 69Tm 70Yb 71Lu
90Th 91Pa 92U 93Np 94Pu 95Am 96Cm 97Bk 98Cf 99Es 100Fm 101Md 102No 103Lr
Default Categories CPK Electronegativity Atomic Radius Lowest Oxidation Highest Oxidation Crustal Abundance Goldschmidt Mineral Species Minerals with Sr Relative Frequency
Rubidium << Strontium >> Yttrium


Most widespread minerals containing Strontium
This list of minerals containing Strontium is built from the mindat.org locality database. This is based on the number of localities entered for mineral species and is therefore slanted towards minerals interesting to collectors with less coverage of common rock-forming-minerals so it does not give an undistorted distribution of Strontium mineral species. It is more useful when comparing rare species rather than common species.
NameFormulaCrystal SystemMindat Localities
CelestineSrSO4Orthorhombic1600
StrontianiteSrCO3Orthorhombic773
GoyaziteSrAl3(PO4)(PO3OH)(OH)6Trigonal240
SvanbergiteSrAl3(PO4)(SO4)(OH)6Trigonal144
Ancylite-(Ce)CeSr(CO3)2(OH) · H2OOrthorhombic136
Burbankite(Na,Ca)3(Sr,Ba,Ce)3(CO3)5Hexagonal98
Lamprophyllite(Na,Mn2+)3(Sr,Na)2(Ti,Fe3+)3(Si2O7)2O2(OH,O,F)2Monoclinic98
Carbocernaite(Ca,Na)(Sr,Ce,Ba)(CO3)2Orthorhombic60
CrichtoniteSr(Mn,Y,U)Fe2(Ti,Fe,Cr,V)18(O,OH)38Trigonal37
ArsenogoyaziteSrAl3(AsO4)(AsO3OH)(OH)6Trigonal27
Photos
01098690017271922029684.jpg
Celestine

Sakoany deposit, Katsepy Commune, Mitsinjo District, Boeny, Madagascar
07694080017271926791376.jpg
Strontianite, etc.

Dreislar Mine, Dreislar, Medebach, Hochsauerlandkreis, Arnsberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
03959950017272730483884.jpg
Goyazite

Fuchsbau quarry, Tröstauer Forst-West, Wunsiedel im Fichtelgebirge, Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Germany
02623410017271926863361.jpg
Svanbergite

Pomba pit, Serra das Éguas, Brumado, Bahia, Brazil
03861770017362064889457.jpg
Celestine

Sakoany deposit, Katsepy Commune, Mitsinjo District, Boeny, Madagascar
07694080017271926791376.jpg
Strontianite, etc.

Dreislar Mine, Dreislar, Medebach, Hochsauerlandkreis, Arnsberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
03959950017272730483884.jpg
Goyazite

Fuchsbau quarry, Tröstauer Forst-West, Wunsiedel im Fichtelgebirge, Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Germany
02623410017271926863361.jpg
Svanbergite

Pomba pit, Serra das Éguas, Brumado, Bahia, Brazil
01098690017271922029684.jpg
Celestine

Sakoany deposit, Katsepy Commune, Mitsinjo District, Boeny, Madagascar
00599570017271926985473.jpg
Strontianite, etc.

Dreislar Mine, Dreislar, Medebach, Hochsauerlandkreis, Arnsberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
03959950017272730483884.jpg
Goyazite

Fuchsbau quarry, Tröstauer Forst-West, Wunsiedel im Fichtelgebirge, Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Germany
02623410017271926863361.jpg
Svanbergite

Pomba pit, Serra das Éguas, Brumado, Bahia, Brazil

Localities with greatest number of different Strontium mineral species
1Itoigawa City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan17 Sr minerals
2Poudrette quarry (De-Mix quarry; Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire; MSH), Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada16 Sr minerals
3Wessels Mine, Joe Morolong Local Municipality, John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality, Northern Cape, South Africa12 Sr minerals
Poços de Caldas alkaline complex, Minas Gerais, Brazil12 Sr minerals
5Pilanesberg Alkaline Ring Complex, Moses Kotane Local Municipality, Bojanala Platinum District Municipality, North West, South Africa9 Sr minerals
6Bortolan quarry, Poços de Caldas, Minas Gerais, Brazil9 Sr minerals
7Koashva Open Pit, Koashva Mt, Khibiny Massif, Murmansk Oblast, Russia8 Sr minerals
Lovozero Massif, Murmansk Oblast, Russia8 Sr minerals


Important ores of Strontium
NameFormulaCrystal System
CelestineSrSO4Orthorhombic
StrontianiteSrCO3Orthorhombic
Photos
05091610017271921969740.jpg
Celestine

Stoneco Lime City Quarry, Lime City, Wood County, Ohio, USA
01696160017458937142073.jpg
Strontianite

Homestake Mine, Lead, Lead Mining District, Lawrence County, South Dakota, USA
05377880017271921998118.jpg
Celestine

Marada, Ajdabiya, Al Wahat District, Libya
09856330017271952146613.jpg
Strontianite

Oberdorf magnesite deposit, Oberdorf, Tragöß-Sankt Katharein, Bruck-Mürzzuschlag District, Styria, Austria
05091610017271921969740.jpg
Celestine

Stoneco Lime City Quarry, Lime City, Wood County, Ohio, USA
07246150017458888388021.jpg
Strontianite

Homestake Mine, Lead, Lead Mining District, Lawrence County, South Dakota, USA
05377880017271921998118.jpg
Celestine

Marada, Ajdabiya, Al Wahat District, Libya
09856330017271952146613.jpg
Strontianite

Oberdorf magnesite deposit, Oberdorf, Tragöß-Sankt Katharein, Bruck-Mürzzuschlag District, Styria, Austria
08538100017271922047990.jpg
Celestine

Stoneco Lime City Quarry, Lime City, Wood County, Ohio, USA
01696160017458937142073.jpg
Strontianite

Homestake Mine, Lead, Lead Mining District, Lawrence County, South Dakota, USA
05377880017271921998118.jpg
Celestine

Marada, Ajdabiya, Al Wahat District, Libya
09856330017271952146613.jpg
Strontianite

Oberdorf magnesite deposit, Oberdorf, Tragöß-Sankt Katharein, Bruck-Mürzzuschlag District, Styria, Austria
 
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