Extraction of rubidium from natural resources

Rubidium is a rare alkali metal in the first group of periodic table. It has some exclusive properties like softness, ductility, malleability, strong chemical and photo-emissive activity, low melting point, easy ionization. So it is used many of applications such that optical and laser technology, electronics, telecommunications, biomedical, space technology, academic research especially quantum mechanics-based computing devices. Attention of rubidium in relation to its uses will increase in the near future. Rubidium does not have any mineral that is the main component. It is produced as minor quantities from lithium or cesium-rich minerals and natural brines. However, there are a few researches on the extraction of rubidium from mine tailings. It is difficult extraction or concentration of rubidium from these resources. Because they require a series of physical and chemical treatments and cost expensive. Efficient, cheap and friendly of environment methods for the recovery of this metal are being investigated.